Nicholas's Story
Fast Facts
Sport: Rowing
Event: Men’s Eight
Olympic History: London 2012
Coach: Rhett Ayliffe
Highlights: Representing Australia at the Olympics
Year Born: 1990
Born: St Leonards, NSW
About Nicholas
Nicholas Purnell started rowing in high school and made his first national team in 2009, the same year he won gold in the Men's Quadruple Sculls at the 2009 Australian Youth Olympic Festival. A year later, the Sydney-sider competed in his first World Rowing Championships, winning bronze as part of the Men's Eight. He also picked up two World Rowing Cup medals in 2010, winning silver with the Eight and gold with the Four.
In 2011 he rowed in the Men's Four at the World Rowing Championships, winning bronze, before returning to compete in the Men’s Eight at the London 2012 Games. The Australians claimed second in their heat before going on to earn themselves a spot in the Olympic Final after a fourth-place finish in the repechage. The crew went on to finish sixth in a strong field, 3.12 seconds behind gold medallists Germany.
After an almost ten-year absence between Olympic appearances, Purnell returned to Men’s Eight action in Tokyo.
After a brief stint in sculling competition after his debut Olympics, Purnell took an extended leave from the sport before returning upon selection to the Reinhold Batschi National Training Centre at Lake Burley Griffin in 2017.
From the nation’s capital, Purnell joined younger brother Alexander in the Australian Men’s Eight for the 2018 World Rowing Cups and World Rowing Championships, winning silver in both.
In preparation for Tokyo, Purnell continued to progress and train under the tutelage of Ian Wright, Mark Prater and Andrew Randell.
The Australian crew in Tokyo came up against rowing powerhouses in their heat, including World Champions Germany as well as the USA and Romania. The fast race was dominated early by the American and German crews with Australia finishing fourth behind Romania to proceed to the repechage.
The crew was able to advance to the A-Final after they finished the repechage in fourth position, this time ahead of the Romanians, and they once again faced a stacked field in the race for medals. Racing out of lane six against the USA, New Zealand, Germany, the Netherlands and Great Britain, the Australian crew was behind at the start and unable to make up the time or speed throughout the race they finished sixth overall.
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