Tim Foster

Who is Tim Foster?

Timothy "Tim" James Carrington Foster, MBE is a British rower. He began rowing at Bedford Modern School and competed in the Junior World Rowing Championships in 1987 and 1988. In the latter he competed in a pair with Matthew Pinsent. He became the first British rower to win gold medals at two consecutive Junior Worlds. From there he proceeded into the senior squad.

In 1993 he underwent back surgery but was straight back in the boat for the 1994 season - winning Bronze in the coxless four at the World Championships. This boat stayed together until the 1996 Olympics, where they won Bronze.

Following his Olympic medal, he continued his university studies at Oxford, competing in the 1997 Boat Race.

In 1997 he won a seat in the coxless four alongside Steve Redgrave, Matthew Pinsent and James Cracknell. In the run up to the Olympics, he again needed back surgery and time off after severing tendons in his hand by punching a window at a boat club party. In August 2000, the month prior to winning gold in Sydney, a 3-part BBC documentary entitled Gold Fever was broadcast. This followed the coxless four team in the years leading up to the Olympics, including video diaries recording the highs and lows in the quest for gold. Despite the problems Foster had had, he was in the final crew and they won the gold medal at the Sydney 2000 Olympics. He was awarded an MBE for his part in this in 2001.