Eric Murray (rower)

Eric Murray

Medal record
Men's Rowing
Competitor for  New Zealand
Olympic Games
Gold	2012 London	Men's coxless pair
World Championships
Gold	2007 Munich	Men's Coxless Four
Gold	2009 Poznan	Men's Coxless Pair
Gold	2010 Karapiro	Men's Coxless Pair
Gold	2011 Bled	Men's Coxless Pair
Gold	2013 Chungjiu	Men's Coxless Pair
Gold	2014 Amsterdam	Men's Coxed Pair
Gold	2014 Amsterdam	Men's Coxless Pair

Rowing the final (top boat) of the men's coxless pair at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Eric Gordon Murray MNZM (born 6 May 1982) is a New Zealand rower and Olympic gold medalist at the 2012 London Olympic Games. He has won four consecutive World Rowing Championships gold medals and has set two world best times.

His first world championship medal was as a member of the New Zealand coxless four at 2007 World Rowing Championships. Murray then went on to become a member of the triple World Champion coxless pair with fellow coxless four member Hamish Bond. They won gold at the 2009 World Rowing Championships, then went on to retain their title at the 2010 World Rowing Championships.^[1] and 2011 World Rowing Championships. Murray's achievements in both the coxless four and the coxless pair have seen him win two Halberg sports awards^[2] team of the year, firstly in 2007 with the four, and then in 2009 with Bond.

Murray has also represented New Zealand at two Olympic Games as part of the coxless four, coming 5th in the A Final at the 2004 Olympics and winning the B Final for a 7th place overall in 2008.^[3]

After a successful campaign which saw Murray and Bond narrowly securing the world championship title for another year on Lake Karapiro; Murray's year was topped off with the news that his wife, Jackie Murray was pregnant with their first child.

In late December 2011 Murray set a new world record on the indoor rowing machine. On a Concept 2 Dynamic Rowing Machine Murray went 18,728 m in one hour.^[4] The story was featured on TV New Zealand.^[5]

Murray raced five-time world champion in the Men's Single Scull Mahé Drysdale in the single scull event at the North Island Club Championships to win by less than half a second on 17 January 2012. Drysdale and Murray were the only two scullers in the event due to inconsistent crosswinds.^[6]

At the 2012 London Olympic Games Murray and teammate Hamish Bond took six seconds off the world record of 6:08.5 in their heat for the men's coxless pair. In the Olympic final Murray and Bond surged into the lead after the 500 meter mark to win the gold medal in 6:16.65 by open water. France edged Great Britain for the silver in 6:21.11 v. Great Britain's time of 6:21.77. The victory capped an undefeated streak that began when Murray and Bond began racing the pair internationally in 2009.

Murray was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2013 New Year's Honours, for his services to rowing.^[7]

References