| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's Rowing | ||
| Olympic Games | ||
| Competitor for Great Britain | ||
| Gold | 1948 London | double sculls |
| British Empire Games | ||
| Competitor for England | ||
| Bronze | 1950 Auckland | eights |
Richard "Dickie" Desborough Burnell (July 26, 1917 – January 29, 1995) was an English rower who competed for Great Britain in the 1948 Summer Olympics.
He was born in Henley-on-Thames and died in Wallingford. He was the son of Charles Burnell and the son-in-law of Stanley Garton.
In 1948 he won the gold medal with his partner Bert Bushnell in the double sculls event.
He and his father Charles Burnell are the only father and son in Olympic history to have won gold medals in rowing.
At the 1950 Empire Games he won the bronze medal as part of the English boat in the eights competition.
R.D. Burnell was also the author of several books on rowing, among them: