Derek Porter

Who is Derek Porter?

Derek Nesbitt-Porter is a gold medal-winning Olympic rower from Canada.

He was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and his father Hugh rowed for the United Kingdom at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, winning a bronze medal in the eight-oared race.

Porter began his rowing career in his second year at the University of Victoria.

Porter won his gold medal in the 1992 Summer Olympics, stroking the Canadian Men's Eight. In a photo finish, the Canadian boat won by 0.14 seconds, just nipping Romania, with two-time defending World Champion Germany just 1.5 seconds back in third. Prior to the 1992 Olympics, Porter had rowed in the Canadian men's eight at the 1990 and 1991 World Championships, finishing second to Germany each time.

Following the 1992 Olympics, Porter took up sculling. In 1993, he won the Single Scull event at the World Rowing Championships, and was one of the favorites at the 1996 Summer Olympics; Porter led most of the race, only to be passed by Xeno Müller in the last 500 meters. Porter held on to win the silver medal ahead of two-time defending Olympic champion Thomas Lange, who finished third. Following that achievement, Porter was awarded the Order of British Columbia in 1996.