Very many congratulations to George Bourne (FH 11-16) for being selected to row as the stroke in the men's coxless four boat at the World Rowing Championships in Shanghai next week. This is the top boat in the men's squad which is impressive at this stage of the Olympic cycle.

Despite finding rowing relatively late, George was identified by the GB Start scheme in his last year at Tonbridge.

Prior to rowing, long distance running played a consistent role in his life from the age of 8 to 18, and George represented Dorset, Surrey and Kent in Cross-Country.

George spent some time in the GB Men’s Quad, winning silver at the 2022 World Championships and qualifying the boat for the Paris Olympics in 2023. In 2024 he switched to the Men’s Single Sculls and narrowly missed out on qualifying the boat for the Paris Games.

Most recently he has taken some time out to study at Cambridge, where he won the 2025 Boat Race.

If you are in Shanghai from 21 to 28 September, please do go and support George -https://www.britishrowing.org/gb-rowing-team/news-features/world-rowing-championships/. You will also be able to watch the race on the BBC.

George was in the same school year as current international stars cricketer Zak Crawley (WH 11-16) and rugby player Ben Earl (JH 11-16) and hopes to make a small contribution to the sporting successes of his Tonbridge year group.

Go well George.