Joseph Sullivan

Who is Joseph Sullivan?

Joseph Sullivan MNZM is a New Zealand rower.

As a student at Queen Charlotte College in Picton, Sullivan competed at the 2003, 2004 and 2005 national secondary school rowing championships. He was a member of the crews that won the boys under-18 double sculls for the school three years running, and won the boys under-18 single sculls events in 2004 and 2005.

He won back-to-back gold medals in the men's double sculls with rowing partner Nathan Cohen at both the 2010 and 2011 World Rowing Championships. It was the first time a New Zealand premier double sculls combination had ever won gold at the world championships.

At the 2012 Summer Olympics at Eton Dorney, Windsor, Sullivan and rowing partner Nathan Cohen won the gold medal in the men's double sculls. They broke the Olympic best time in the heats.

In the finals they were in last place at the 500 m mark, in fifth place at the 1000 m mark, in fourth at the 1500 m mark, and then sprinted as the line approached to take first for the victory, with a last quarter of 1:33. They won with a time of 6 minutes, 31.67 seconds.