Andrew Triggs Hodge tops 2013

A regular on the British team, Triggs Hodge took gold at the 2012 London Olympic Games in the men's four. But Triggs Hodge was ready for more. Coming back in 2013 as one of the top athletes amongst the men's sweep squad, Triggs Hodge was put into the men's eight. The crew got off to a bang by winning the first two World Rowing Cups of the season. Then the crew suffered a setback with a fourth-place finish at the third and final World Cup that preceded the World Rowing Championships.

The crew, under the guidance of head coach Juergen Grobler, went to an altitude training camp, worked on their psychological approach and changed the seating order in the boat. At the World Rowing Championships in Chungju, Korea they not only took gold but they became the first British crew to take a World Championship title in the men's eight.

Triggs Hodge began rowing at university over a decade ago. When he finished his studies he moved to London. A year later Triggs Hodge made the British under-23 men's eight boat. The crew finished sixth. From that Triggs Hodge went directly into the senior team and for the 2004 Athens Olympics he was selected of the men's eight. They finished ninth.

Deciding to continue rowing Triggs Hodge made it into Grobler's priority boat, the men's four and the new crew began to dominate, winning the 2005 and 2006 World Rowing Championships. Despite ending out of the medals at the 2007 World Rowing Championships, the crew came back to take gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Triggs Hodge then moved into the pair with Pete Reed as the two top sweep rowers in the British squad. But despite some incredibly close finishes, the duo always ended second to the New Zealand boat of Eric Murray and Hamish Bond.  In 2012 Grobler moved Triggs Hodge and Pete Reed back into the four as the best option for winning Olympic gold. And they did. At Eton Dorney last year, Triggs Hodge and his crew defended the men's four Olympic title.

Not one to like coming anywhere but first place, Triggs Hodge is known to psyche himself up before a race by wanting to put his opponents through as much pain as possible.  In the London Olympic final the second-placed Australians felt that pain.

Triggs Hodge is now moving towards his fourth Olympic Games and his longevity and top results have seen him move from third place on the Top 10 list in 2012 to first place in 2013. Eligibility for the list requires the rower to have medalled at a World Championships or Olympics Games in the current year. It also takes into account the athletes’ Olympic and World Championship results. A point value system is used corresponding to medals won. Triggs Hodge has a total of 13 points which has put him at the top of the list.

As well as rowing Triggs Hodge is an advocate for clean water and the work of WWF. Here Triggs Hodge talks about clean water and the FISA-WWF Clean Water Alliance.

To see the Top 10 list here.