Lesley Thompson Retires

Four-time Olympic medallist coxswain Lesley Thompson, has retired after being part of the Canadian team for more than 20 years, Rowing Canada Aviron announced Thursday.

Thompson was part of the bronze medal women’s eight at the Sydney Olympic Games last year but was first named in a national team for the 1980 Olympics.

She went to the next five Olympics with the women’s rowing team – winning a silver in 1984 in the coxed four, then gold in 1992, silver in 1996 and bronze in 2000 – all in the women’s eight.

She has numerous World Cup and six World Championship medals – most recently a silver in 2000 at the Lucerne World Cup and bronze at the 1999 World Championships in St. Catharines, Canada.

Thompson paid tribute to those she had worked with during her career.

“I have been extremely fortunate to have had an amazing athletic career representing Canada,” she said.

“I owe a tremendous amount to all my coaches, teammates, family, husband, and Rowing Canada for their support and direction over the years. My teammates have given me friends for life and shown me what it means to be part of a team that is hard to leave.”

She singled out her coach Al Morrow as a particularly strong influence and, in turn, he had words of praise for Thomspon.

“All of the successes our women’s team had in the last 20 years were during the years of her involvement,” Morrow said.

“Lesley is so good as a coxswain that she has raised the bar in what one thinks a coxswain can do. She is respected around the world as the best at her trade.”

Former women’s eight athlete Alison Korn also had words of support.

“Lesley was the backbone of the boat, she taught us all what hard training really was and
also how to race,” she said.

Thompson does plan to stay involved in rowing but from a coaching capacity. She will continue her career as a secondary school teacher but is part of the Women in Coaching Program through the Canadian Coaching Association.

Despite the words of praise from across Canada, Thompson said there was one person who would not be sad to see her leave the sport.

“This announcement will make my mother, Valerie Elliott, extremely happy that she
won’t have to suffer through anymore nerve-racking Olympic finals or watch me try and make my competition weight limit,” she said.

Sarah Pape, 2000 Olympic lightweight women’s coach, is the coxswain currently training with the women’s rowing team in London, Ontario.