Alan Thompson (canoeist)

Alan Thompson
Personal information
BornAlan Blair Thompson
(1959-06-14) 14 June 1959
Gisborne, New Zealand
Height179 cm (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Weight83 kg (183 lb)[1]
Sport
SportCanoe sprint
Medal record
Men's canoe sprint
Representing  New Zealand
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1984 Los Angeles K-1 1000 m
Gold medal – first place 1984 Los Angeles K-4 1000 m
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 1982 Belgrade K-1 1000 m
Silver medal – second place 1982 Belgrade K-2 500 m
Bronze medal – third place 1983 Tampere K-1 1000 m

Alan Blair Thompson (born 14 June 1959) is a sprint canoeist who competed in the early to mid-1980s. He competed at three Olympic Games (1980–1988) and won two Olympic gold medals for New Zealand.

Thompson was born in 1959 in Gisborne, New Zealand.[1] He attended Te Hapara Primary School, Gisborne Intermediate and Gisborne Boys' High School.[2] and played rugby union for his high school. He was also selected for the under-18 North Island rugby team.[3]

Thompson attended his first Summer Olympics in 1980 in Moscow and was part of the small New Zealand team of just four athletes that attended that year, as most western athletes stayed away due to the boycott that year.[1] In the K-2 500 metres, Thompson and Geoff Walker were eliminated in the semi-final.[4] In the K-4 1000 metres, Thompson's team did not start.[5]

Thompson competed at six ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships between 1981 and 1987 and won three medals; two silvers (K-1 1000 m and K-2 500 m: both 1982), and a bronze (K-1 1000 m: 1983).[2][6]

He won both of his Olympic gold medals at Los Angeles in 1984, in the K-1 1000 m and K-4 1000 m events.[1][7][8] Thompson is one of the few New Zealanders to have won two or more Olympic gold medals.[3] He went to his third Olympics in 1988 in Seoul, Korea, and came sixth in the K-1 1000 m.[1][9]

After retiring from top-level canoeing Thompson became a coach, selector and manager for New Zealand canoeing teams and eventually became president of the New Zealand Canoeing Federation. He is self-employed in Gisborne.[2]

Thompson is married to Australian Olympic sprint canoeist Elizabeth Blencowe.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Alan Thompson". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  2. ^ a b c "Alan Thompson". Sport Gisborne Tairawhiti. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  3. ^ a b Swannell, Rikki (12 July 2016). "New Zealand's Greatest Olympians – Number 25: Alan Thompson". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  4. ^ "Kayak Doubles, 500 metres, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  5. ^ "Kayak Fours, 1,000 metres, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  6. ^ "Alan Thompson". Olympedia. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  7. ^ "Kayak Singles, 1,000 metres, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  8. ^ "Kayak Fours, 1,000 metres, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  9. ^ "Kayak Singles, 1,000 metres, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  10. ^ https://www.eastland.nz/2017/04/24/olympian-cyclone-eastland-port-help-kayakers-go-gold/ "An Olympian, a cyclone, and Eastland Port, help kayakers go for gold!", Eastland Group, April 24, 2017
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