Andy Holmes
Encyclopedia
Andrew Jeremy ("Andy") Holmes MBE
(15 October 1959 – 24 October 2010) was a British
rower
.
Holmes was born in Uxbridge
, Greater London
, and was educated at Latymer Upper School
in Hammersmith
, west London, where he was coached by Olympic rowing silver medallist Jim Clark
. After leaving school, he rowed for Kingston Rowing Club
and then Leander Club
. At the age of 19, he won the Thames Challenge Cup
at Henley Royal Regatta
.
He rowed twice in the Olympic Games
(in 1984
and 1988
) with Sir Steve Redgrave
. He was a gold medalist in the Men's Coxed Fours in 1984 and in the Men's Coxless Pairs in 1988, when he also took bronze in the coxed pair. He also rowed in the 1986 Commonwealth Games
, winning the coxed fours and the coxless pairs.
He retired from rowing in 1990 and severed most contacts with the sport. His daughter only discovered her father's gold medal winning pedigree when reading about him in a book at school.
He died in London
in 2010 after contracting a rare water-borne disease, Leptospirosis
, known commonly as 'Weil's disease'.
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
(15 October 1959 – 24 October 2010) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
rower
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
.
Holmes was born in Uxbridge
Uxbridge
Uxbridge is a large town located in north west London, England and is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon. It forms part of the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is located west-northwest of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres...
, Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
, and was educated at Latymer Upper School
Latymer Upper School
Latymer Upper School, founded by Edward Latymer in 1624, is a selective independent school in Hammersmith, West London, England, lying between King Street and the Thames. It is a day school for 1,130 pupils – boys and girls aged 11–18; there is also the Latymer Preparatory School for boys and girls...
in Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
, west London, where he was coached by Olympic rowing silver medallist Jim Clark
James Clark (rower)
Richard James Scott Clark is a British rower who competed in the 1972 Summer Olympics, in the 1976 Summer Olympics, and in the 1980 Summer Olympics....
. After leaving school, he rowed for Kingston Rowing Club
Kingston Rowing Club
Kingston Rowing Club is an amateur rowing club, based in England, founded in 1858.The club is one of the world's oldest and most successful amateur rowing clubs...
and then Leander Club
Leander Club
Leander Club, founded in 1818, is one of the oldest rowing clubs in the world. It is based in Remenham in the English county of Berkshire, adjoining Henley-on-Thames...
. At the age of 19, he won the Thames Challenge Cup
Thames Challenge Cup
The Thames Challenge Cup is a rowing event for men's eights at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. It is open to male crews from a single rowing club. Boat clubs from any university, college or secondary school are not permitted, neither are squad...
at Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...
.
He rowed twice in the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
(in 1984
Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the 1984 Summer Olympics
The United Kingdom competed as Great Britain at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, United States. British athletes have competed in every Summer Olympic Games...
and 1988
Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the 1988 Summer Olympics
The United Kingdom competed as Great Britain at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea. 345 competitors, 219 men and 126 women, took part in 191 events in 22 sports...
) with Sir Steve Redgrave
Steve Redgrave
Sir Steven Geoffrey Redgrave CBE is an English rower who won gold medals at five consecutive Olympic Games from 1984 to 2000. He has also won three Commonwealth Games gold medals and nine World Rowing Championships gold medals...
. He was a gold medalist in the Men's Coxed Fours in 1984 and in the Men's Coxless Pairs in 1988, when he also took bronze in the coxed pair. He also rowed in the 1986 Commonwealth Games
1986 Commonwealth Games
The 1986 Commonwealth Games were held in Edinburgh, Scotland for the second time. The Games were held from 24 July-2 August 1986.-Organisation and Controversy:...
, winning the coxed fours and the coxless pairs.
He retired from rowing in 1990 and severed most contacts with the sport. His daughter only discovered her father's gold medal winning pedigree when reading about him in a book at school.
He died in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 2010 after contracting a rare water-borne disease, Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is caused by infection with bacteria of the genus Leptospira, and affects humans as well as other mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles.The...
, known commonly as 'Weil's disease'.
External links
- Andy Holmes interview by Nick Greenslade in The ObserverThe ObserverThe Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
newspaper, March 5, 2006 - Video of 1988 Olympic Pair race
- Sports-reference profile
- Obituary in The Guardian