Trent University Rower Peter Van Rooijen Chosen to Represent Canada at Under 23 World Championships
Mr. Van Rooijen to defend his 2003 gold medal in Poland in August
Trent University rower and business student Peter Van Rooijen will have the opportunity to defend his 2003 gold medal at the Under 23 Federation Internationale du Sport Aviron (FISA) World Rowing Championships, having recently been selected for this year's Canadian team. Mr. Van Rooijen will compete in the men's heavy eight boat August 6 to 8 in Poznan, Poland.
In summer 2003, Mr. Van Rooijen won the gold medal as part of the men's eight at the Under 23 Rowing World Championships in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. This year, Mr. Van Rooijen will be rowing from the fourth seat and is the only team member attending a Canadian university. A native of Brockville, Ontario, Mr. Van Rooijen will be entering his fourth year at Trent in the fall, and was recently named Senior Male Athlete of the Year for 2003 by the City of Peterborough.
"Last year we all learned what training at the national level really meant, as well as being competitive on the international scene. Last year during training we thought we were pretty quick but we didn't really know for sure until we raced in the final," said Mr. Van Rooijen.
"With four of the eight rowers returning, Team Canada will be attempting to duplicate its performance. I think this time around we are able to train more effectively as many of us rowed together last year - the boat is coming together much faster this year, as well I think we have a slightly higher level of confidence…We want to be able to go over there and defend what we did."
"Peter is one of Trent's leading varsity athletes and evidently one of Canada's finest rowers. We were thrilled to hear that he will once again represent Canada at the Under 23 World Rowing Championships and wish him all the best," says Bill Byrick, Trent's athletic director.
His membership on the under 23 team is the culmination of an outstanding year for Mr. Van Rooijen, in which he won gold at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) rowing championships in the men's heavyweight single, as well as a bronze at the Canadian University Rowing Championships in both the heavyweight singles and the heavyweight eight. Mr. Van Rooijen was also named OUA Athlete of the Week for October 6, and was featured in the Faces in the Crowd section of Sports Illustrated magazine as an up and coming athlete in North America.
After graduation, he may look to the Olympics or to the skies, or both. Mr. Van Rooijen has hopes of becoming a commercial pilot.
He credits much of his success to Carol Love, Trent's head rowing coach, who helped attract him to Trent and who was the first to teach him to scull.
