George C. Justicz (born 27 February 1931) is a former

rower Rowing, often called crew in the United States, is the sport of racing boats using oars. It differs from paddling sports in that rowing oars (called blades in the United Kingdom) are attached to the boat using rowlocks, while paddles are ...

who competed for Great Britain in the 1960 Olympic games and won

Double Sculls Challenge Cup The Double Sculls Challenge Cup is a rowing event for men's double sculls at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. It is open to male crews from all eligible rowing clubs. Two clubs may combine to m ...

Henley Royal Regatta Henley Royal Regatta (or Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage) is a Rowing (sport), rowing event held annually on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. It was established on 26 March 1839. It diffe ...

four times and the

Wingfield Sculls The Wingfield Sculls is a Rowing (sport), rowing race held annually on the River Thames in London, England, on the The Championship Course, Championship Course from Putney to Mortlake. The race is between single scullers and is usually on the ...

Biography

Justicz was born in

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...

. His family came to England and he became a member of

Birmingham Rowing Club Birmingham Rowing Club is an amateur rowing club, based at Birmingham, England. It is situated on Edgbaston Reservoir in the centre of Birmingham. The club was founded in 1873 although there is reference to a 'Birmingham Soho Club' using the re ...

where he was captain in 1959 and 1960. He competed in the

Diamond Challenge Sculls The Diamond Challenge Sculls is a Rowing (sport), rowing event for men's single sculls at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. First run in 1844, it is open to male scullers from all eligible rowin ...

in 1958. In 1959, partnering Nicholas Birkmyre, he was runner up at the

at Henley. In 1960 the pair won the Double Sculls Challenge Cup and went on to compete in the double sculls event at the

1960 Summer Olympics The 1960 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad () and commonly known as Rome 1960 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 25 August to 11 September 1960 in Rome, Italy. Rome had previously been awar ...

in Rome. Justicz also won the

as a

single scull A single scull (or a scull), abbreviated as a 1x, is a racing shell designed for a single person who propels the boat with two oars, one in each hand. Racing boats (often called "shells") are long, narrow, and broadly semi-circular in cross-se ...

er in 1960. Justicz and Birkmyer won the double sculls at Henley again in 1961 and won a silver medal at the

1961 European Rowing Championships The 1961 European Rowing Championships were rowing championships held on the Vltava (Moldau) in the Czechoslovakian capital Prague. The event for women was held from 18 to 20 August, and 9 countries competed with 32 boats. The event for men was h ...

. They then joined

Leander Club Leander Club, founded in 1818, is one of the oldest rowing clubs in the world, and the oldest non-academic club. It is based in Remenham in Berkshire, England and adjoins Henley-on-Thames. Only three other surviving clubs were founded prior ...

and in 1962 won the double sculls at Henley, came fifth in the

1962 World Rowing Championships The 1962 World Rowing Championships were the inaugural world championships in rowing. The competition was held in September 1962 on the Rotsee in Lucerne, Switzerland. Rowers from West Germany dominated the competition, winning five of the sev ...

and won a gold medal at the

1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games The 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Perth, Western Australia, from 22 November to 1 December 1962. Athletic events were held at Perry Lakes Stadium in the suburb of Floreat and swimming events at Beatty Park in North ...

.History of Birmingham Rowing Club
They made their final winning appearance in the double sculls at Henley 1964.

References

1931 births British male rowers Rowers at the 1960 Summer Olympics Olympic rowers for Great Britain Living people Rowers from Prague Rowers at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games Commonwealth Games gold medallists for England Commonwealth Games gold medallists in rowing British people of Czech descent European Rowing Championships medalists Medallists at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games {{UK-rowing-bio-stub