Ben Rutledge, back row far left, Kyle Hamilton, back row third from left, and Jake Wetzel, back row far right, celebrate their victory in the men’s eight – Credit: CP
UBC Reports Extras | Aug. 18, 2008
By Basil Waugh
UBC graduate student Jake Wetzel and recent graduates Ben Rutledge and Kyle Hamilton won gold for Canada in men’s eight rowing in Beijing on Sunday.
As defending world champions, the squad were gold-medal favourites. Captained by Hamilton, they led at every interval en route to a time of five minutes, 23.89. Great Britain, more than one second back, took silver and the United States won bronze.
See a video of the squad being interviewed by the CBC’s Ron MacLean after their gold-medal performance. During the interview, Rutledge shows off a UBC Thunderbirds’ belt.
For all three, the victory helps to erase Olympic disappointment from Athens four years ago. Rutledge (Cranbrook, B.C.) and Hamilton (Richmond, B.C.) are holdovers from the men’s eight squad that placed fifth in Athens, despite being medal favourites. Wetzel (Saskatoon, Sask.), who won silver in coxless four rowing in Athens, missed gold by one eight hundredths of a second.
“The spirit and camaraderie of a crew sport that I experienced at UBC led me to pursue my path,” said Rutledge in an interview with UBC Public Affairs before the Games. “Rowing is very hard on your body, and the better you get at it, the harder it becomes. Without the coaches and the excitement around rowing at UBC, I probably wouldn’t have stuck with it.”
This summer, more than 40 members of the UBC community are participating in the 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games as athletes, coaches, sports doctors and staff. UBC’s rich Olympic and Paralympic history began in 1928 and includes 109 medals and 240 participants.
By winning gold in Beijing — Canada’s second of these games — Hamilton (Arts), Rutledge (Commerce) and Wetzel (Commerce) join an Olympic rowing legacy at UBC that started in 1932, when Ned Pratt became the first UBC student to win an Olympic medal, claiming a bronze in double sculls in Los Angeles.
Of the 72 UBC rowers that have represented Canada prior to the Beijing Games, 44 have brought home medals (7 gold, 3 silver and 4 bronze). UBC’s most decorated Olympian is Kathleen Heddle, who won three gold and one bronze in the Barcelona and Atlanta Games.
For Wetzel, the Beijing Olympics was his last shot to bring home a gold medal. “I look forward to the challenge of returning to UBC in order to complete my Masters in Finance and I hope to continue on and attain a PhD.”
For articles on UBC’s golden rowers, plus other UBC Olympians such as swimmers Brent Hayden, Brian Johns and Annamay Pierce, who have all set Canadian and personal records, look for a special Beijing 2008 edition of UBC Reports at www.ubc.ca/beijing. Many articles include short video messages from the athletes.
For updates on UBC Thunderbirds in Beijing, visit: www.gothunderbirds.ca.
