Finalists: Thomas Keller Medal 2005

There are five remaining finalists for the 2005 Thomas Keller Medal for an "outstanding career in rowing" after a vote by all members of the International Rowing Federation (FISA) Council and Commission. The vote was taken this morning at the Joint Commissions Meeting in Paris, France.

Making it through to the next stage are:
Agostino Abbagnale, Italy
Matthew Pinsent, Great Britain
Jean-Christophe Rolland, France
James Tomkins, Australia
André Willms, Germany 

These finalists will now go forward to the Thomas Keller Medal Committee who will narrow the five down to one. 

The winner will be announced two weeks before the BearingPoint Rowing World Cup in Lucerne, Switzerland (8 to 10 July 2005) and will be awarded the 18-carat gold Thomas Keller Medal on Finals Day 10 July 2005. 

The FISA Executive Committee will assess the candidates on the following five criteria:

* International Success – Success on the international level;
* Resilience/Determination ?Type? of career ? e.g., overcoming obstacles, shortcomings;
* Mastery – Technical mastery of the sport, e.g., success in different boat types as well as sculling and sweep rowing;
* Sportsmanship – Respect for others, attitude, character;
* Inspirational/Legendary – How perceived by the rowing world and the world outside rowing.

To follow is a brief description of the rowing careers of the nominees.

Agostino Abbagnale
The name Abbagnale is synonymous with Italian rowing and Agostino follows in the footsteps of brothers Carmine and Guiseppe who jointly won the Thomas Keller Medal in 1997.

Younger Agostino, who retired from rowing last year, has also demonstrated the family talent. His three Olympic gold medals are only the start of the list of his achievements. There are also two gold and two silver World Championship medals to his credit. But perhaps Abbagnale's greatest achievement was overcoming thrombophlebitis in his left leg that took him out of the sport for five years. Returning in 1995 Abbagnale went on to win Olympic gold the following year.

"Even though he is the greatest Italian rower of all times, he has always striven to highlight the worth of his rowing partners," says nominator Michele de Lauretis.

Matthew Pinsent
Although Great Britain's Matthew Pinsent retired late last year he has remained constantly in the British press, first for receiving a knighthood by the Queen of Great Britain, then through his involvement with London's 2012 Olympic bid and also his association with corporate rowing.

Pinsent started his international career with gold as a junior in 1988 and finished it four Olympic golds later at the 2004 Athens Olympics. From 1991 to 2002 Pinsent never lost a race at the World Rowing Championships or Olympic Games picking up nine World Rowing Championship titles.

Pinsent is one of only five people (in any sport) to win four consecutive Olympic gold medals and he has been acknowledged by his peers by being elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee's Athlete's Commission.

?Sir Matthew is a giant of a man: he has been an outstanding athlete and ambassador for our sport," says nominator Chris Baillieu.

Jean-Christophe Rolland
Three Olympic Games for Jean-Christophe Rolland of France progressed from a fourth place finish in Barcelona through to bronze in Atlanta and on to gold in Sydney. Then Rolland retired from a rowing career that saw him pick up 17 French national championship titles and two World Rowing Championship golds.

Rolland in currently the chairman of FISA's Athlete's Commission and captain of the EDF athletes group. He has been awarded the ?Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur," Knight of the Legion of Honour, ?Chevalier de l'Ordre National du Mérite,? Knight of the National Order of Merit and the gold medal from the French Ministry of Youth and Sports.

Highly respected amongst the rowing community as being a true sportsman Rolland leads a successful business career and is the proud father of two sons, Victor and Ulysse.

James Tomkins
The Australian from Melbourne, James Tomkins is well-known as a member of the Oarsome Foursome but his success has gone further having won gold medals in every sweep class of boat.

Tomkins international career began with gold in the eight at the 1986 World Rowing Championships and now includes three Olympic gold medals and one bronze as well as seven World Rowing Championship titles.

"He has been inspirational in combining rowing and a full life, and in his ability to come back after a break of a year or two to pursue work, study, family life. He is also legendary in his technical mastery," says nominator John Boultbee.

André Willms
Germany's André Willms hit the international rowing scene as a junior from East Germany and went straight to the top winning gold in the single. He continued his winning ways for the next 14 years, never taking a break from the sport. Willms retired after his fourth Olympics in 2004 with two golds and a bronze as well as five World Rowing Championship titles.

"Willms always kept the whole team in mind," says nominator Axel Mueller who noted Willms' interaction with the rest of the team. "He is member of the Athletes' Commission of the German Rowing Federation."

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