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Australia's three-time Olympic champion James Tomkins, a member of the 'Oarsome Foursome', announced his retirement from competitive rowing on Thursday, his 45th birthday.
Tomkins represented Australia at six Olympic Games from 1988-2008, winning three golds and a bronze. He also won seven world championship titles.
He won his first Olympic gold in the coxless fours as a member of the 'Oarsome Foursome' at Barcelona in 1992. Australia defended the title at the Atlanta Games in 1996.
He won his third gold in the men's pair at Athens in 2004. He had won bronze in the event in Sydney in 2000.
Tomkins, who carried his country's flag at the opening ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Games, was a member of the Australian eight, who finished sixth in the Chinese capital.
"The contribution he made to rowing and the excellence he achieved with his crew mates across two decades is second to none and he fully deserves his accolades as one of the greatest oarsman ever," former 'Oarsome Foursome' coach and current Rowing Australia head coach Noel Donaldson said.
"The impact he has made in Australian rowing is underlined by the reaction of young guys who are involved in the team now.
"Some of them were not born when James started rowing, but they admire his achievements and aspire to reach his level."
(Reporting by Greg Stutchbury in Wellington; Editing by Ian Ransom; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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