Andrew TRIGGS HODGE

Andrew Triggs Hodge took up rowing on Rudyard Lake, naer Leek, whilst studying at Staffordshire University. Despite his relatively late start in the sport he soon progressed to the national squad via an appearance at the World Under-23 Championships. He joined the senior eight for the 2002 season and helped his crew reach the world final. A second year in the boat was more successful as they won a bronze medal at the World Championship but their momentum was checked in 2004 and they did not reach the final of the Olympic Games. Things then changed drastically for him as first he returned to education, studying as a postgraduate at Oxford University, where he became a rowing Blue in 2005, and then was chosen as one of the newly constituted Great Britain coxless four crew with an eye to competing at the Beijing Olympics. The four had two excellent years in 2005 and 2006 and won the world title on both occasions but an up-and-down 2007 saw them miss out completely on the medal positions. The Olympic year of 2008 saw them eventually return to top form and they won the Olympic gold by overhauling the Australian crew with a late race burst of power.