Hamish Bond retires from rowing leaving a sparkling Olympic legacy

Hamish Bond is hanging up the oars on a glittering rowing career, aged 35.

Olympic gold medallist in the coxless pair at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Games, he crowned it off with a third straight gold medal at Tokyo 2020 on the New Zealand's eight.

Speaking on Thursday 27 January, the eight-time world champion said that his wife Lizzie motivated him to keep going and end his career on a high.

“The last few years has been challenging for everyone, not just athletes, and there were times when I seriously considered calling it a day,” he said.

“It was taking more and more mental discipline to keep going and I could feel my hunger to punish myself in training waning.

“It was Lizzie who gave me a kick and said ‘No, you’re not ending things like this’ and I really needed that to keep going and finish my sporting career in the right way.”

Hamish Bond: Olympic highlights

He did just that, ending a sensational career at the top of his game, and on top of the world.

Bond leaves an incredible Olympic highlight reel full of unforgettable moments, like the London 2012 coxless pair heat when he and partner Eric Murray took six seconds off the world record, then later storming to gold.

When the unbeatable duo won gold again in Rio, Murray retired and Bond decided to push through to Tokyo 2020 with the eight, winning gold in what arguably represents his greatest achievement.

“It does feel strange saying that I’m retiring but I feel very fortunate to be walking away while at the top of the sport,” Bond said.

“I’ve been incredibly privileged to have gone on this journey and my career has far exceeded anything I dared to dream when I was starting out. I never anticipated having the success that followed.

“The obvious pinnacles for me were winning in London, that first Olympic gold medal, and then winning gold with the eight in Tokyo – they’re phenomenal memories.”

You can watch Hamish Bond's highlights and best moments from our Olympic archive below.