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Chris O’Brien (born 27 April 1968, Ballarat, Australia) is an Australian rowing coach and is currently the National Team Performance Director and Head Coach for the Australian Rowing Team.

Coaching Career

He is Australia’s most successful Olympic Rowing Coach having coached crews to two Olympic Gold and two Olympic Silver medals.

He achieved Olympic Gold with:


 * James Tomkins and Drew Ginn in the pair in 2004


 * Duncan Free and Drew Ginn in the pair in 2008
 * Duncan Free and Drew Ginn in the pair in 2008

He achieved Olympic Silver with:


 * Joshua Dunkley-Smith, Drew Ginn, James Chapman and Will Lockwood in the four in 2012
 * Joshua Dunkley-Smith, Drew Ginn, James Chapman and Will Lockwood in the four in 2012


 * Alexander Hill, Joshua Booth, Joshua Dunkley-Smith and Will Lockwood in the four in 2016
 * Alexander Hill, Joshua Booth, Joshua Dunkley-Smith and Will Lockwood in the four in 2016

Under his leadership the Australian Rowing Team achieved 1 Gold and 2 Silver medals at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games - ranking Australia number four in the World after a number 9 ranking following the 2012 London Olympic Games.

In addition he has coached crews to multiple World Championship medals. He has coached with success in both schoolgirl and schoolgirl rowing programs. He was coach and head Coach at Melbourne University Boat Club for a number of years and was a key part of the Club’s resurgence in the mid 1990’s. He coached with distinction in the Australian underage ranks in the late 1990’s with world Gold and Silver medals in Under 23 Men’s Eights.

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