Six-time Olympic rower, James Tomkins OAM, has been chosen to become a candidate in the next election for members of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Athletes’ Commission.
Six-time Olympic rower, James Tomkins OAM, has been chosen to become a candidate in the next election for members of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Athletes’ Commission. He will now be put forward to the IOC Executive Board for confirmation of eligibility.
Tomkins was chosen in a secret ballot by his peers on the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) Athletes’ Commission and endorsed by the AOC Executive to become their joint candidate.
His achievements include:
- 1988 Olympics Games, Seoul – Eight 5th
- 1992 Olympics Games, Barcelona - Four Gold Medal
- 1996 Olympics Games, Atlanta - Four Gold Medal
- 2000 Olympics Games, Sydney - Pair Bronze Medal
- 2004 Olympics Games, Athens - Pair Gold Medal
- 2008 Olympics Games, Beijing – Eight 6th, Opening Ceremony Flagbearer
- Competed in 11 FISA World Rowing Championships, winning 7 Gold Medals.
- 1986 Commonwealth Games, Edinburgh – Eight Gold Medal
- 2008 to date Chair, AOC Athletes’ Commission; Member, AOC Executive
- 2010 awarded the prestigious Thomas Keller Medal, FISA’s highest honour for an outstanding career in rowing.
- 2011 represented the AOC at the International Olympic Academy’s 3rd International Session for Olympic Medallists. Tomkins used his experience at six Olympic Games to contribute to the session on ‘Communication methods of Olympic values by Olympian role models’.
The election of four athletes from four different sports for the IOC Athletes’ Commission will take place in London next year with athletes competing in the 2012 Games eligible to vote.
Once all candidature files are received by the IOC, they will be analysed in order to make sure that they meet all IOC requirements. The candidature files will then be put forward to the IOC Executive Board, which will confirm the candidates’ eligibility. The approved list of candidates will be confirmed and sent to all NOCs by the end of December 2011.
The current IOC Commission comprises 12 athletes elected for eight years by the athletes participating in the Olympic Games, and of up to seven athletes appointed by the IOC President, to ensure a balance between regions, gender and sports. In addition, a representative of the World Olympians Association (WOA) and a representative of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) are ex-officio members.
Born in 1965, Tomkins is married with three children. He has a Bachelor of Business in Economics and Finance and works with BT Investment, a funds manager, having been involved in the finance industry for the past 15 years. Tomkins was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 1987 for service to rowing.
John Coates AC
President, Australian Olympic Committee
