John Storey
John Storey started rowing at St Andrew’s College and Avon Rowing Club in 2003 and made his first international appearance in the U23 men’s coxed four in 2009.
He made the hard work count, winning gold in Racice, Czech Republic. A switch to sculling followed in 2010 with the elite men’s quad, and John remained in that boat through to the London Olympic Games in 2012 where the crew placed 7th. After a year away from the sport he rejoined the men’s quad in 2014, taking the boat right through to the 2016 Olympics in Rio where the crew placed 10th. During that period the quad had many close finishes in a super-competitive field. After the 2016 Games John linked up with Chris Harris in the double sculls. The two went unbeaten throughout the 2017 season, winning gold at World Rowing Cups II and III, a win at Henley Royal Regatta, and finishing off by becoming elite world champions for the first time in Sarasota, Florida.
In 2018 the duo dealt with a number of injuries, and in what was a difficult year for New Zealand they picked up the only men’s medal – a bronze in Plovdiv at the World Rowing Championships. More injuries in 2019 saw a tough year for John and Chris in the double. At Henley the crew set a new course record for the men’s open double, albeit broken in the final in which John and Chris came second. At the 2019 World Rowing Championships John and Chris finished in 8th place, securing a spot for a New Zealand men’s double at the Olympic Games.
In 2019 John became a father to a beautiful baby girl, Ava. He has a degree in mechanical engineering and is currently working towards a PhD in biomedical engineering with Auckland University and F&P Healthcare.