James McRae (born 27 June 1987)[1] is an Australian former representative rower. He is a national champion, world champion, three time Olympian, Olympic medallist and record holder. In the Australian men's quad scull he won a silver medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics and a bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
McRae's siblings Jessica and Ana are Australian rowers who've held South Australian Sports Institute scholarships and won Australian titles.[2][3] Anna McRae has also competed internationally for Australia.[4]
Club and state rowing
McRae rows from the Murray Bridge Rowing Club.[5] He is a South Australian Sports Institute (SASI) Scholarship holder and was coached by Adrian David a Romanian former international oarsman.[6]
For nine consecutive years from 2008 to 2016 McCrae was seated in the South Australian men's eights who contested the King's Cup at the Australian Rowing Championships.[7] In 2007 and 2011 he was also South Australia's selectee to contest the interstate men's Single scull – the President's Cup. In 2011 he won that event and also rowed in the open men's Quad scull who won the national title.[8]
In October 2009 McRae was awarded life membership of the Murray Bridge Rowing Club for being the club's most successful rower and the club's first Olympian since their entire VIII of 1924 " the Murray Cods" competed at Paris 1924.[9] He undertook a number of public speaking and promotional events after the Beijing games. In April 2010 McRae took part in an 'Active April' event involving Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio personalities Tony McCarthy[who?] and John Kenneally.[10]
McRae competed at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in the men's Quad scull.[12] In their first race at Beijing, the Australian crew of McRae, Daniel Noonan, Brendan Long and Chris Morgan broke the world record to win their heat.[13] That time of 5:36.20 stood as the Olympic best time until the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.[14] The quad finished second in their semi-final to secure a place in the Olympic final.[15] In the final the Australian quad crew was unable to capitalise on their earlier world record form and finished fourth.[16]
After Beijing, McRae continued rowing at the highest level, winning a bronze in the men's quad scull at the 2010 World Rowing Championships[1] At the 2011 World Rowing Championships in an upset, the Australian heavyweight quad of McRae, Daniel Noonan, Karsten Forsterling and Chris Morgan defeated the German crew to win gold. Following a costly mistake in the German boat the Australian crew took the lead in the last few metres of the race and won by 0.25secs.[17]
In 2021, McRae coached the Saint Peter's College First VIII to the schools first ever Schoolboy National Championship. This is something he had been building towards since he began coaching in 2015.
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