Jonathan "Jonny" William C. Searle (born 8 May 1969) is a British former Olympic rower and subsequently businessman. Along with his brother Greg and coxswain Garry Herbert, Searle won the gold medal in the

coxed pair A coxed pair, abbreviated as a 2+, is a racing shell used in the rowing (sport), sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for two persons who propel the boat with sweep (rowing), sweep oars and is steered by a coxswain (rowing), coxswain (cox ...

event at the 1992

Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games (Olympics; ) are the world's preeminent international Olympic sports, sporting events. They feature summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a Multi-s ...

in Barcelona.

Early life and education

Searle was born in

Walton-on-Thames Walton-on-Thames, known locally as Walton, is a market town on the bank (geography), south bank of the River Thames, Thames in northwest Surrey, England. It is in the Borough of Elmbridge, about southwest of central London. Walton forms part ...

Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...

. He was educated at Hampton School and

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...

. Whilst at

Oxford University The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...

, he competed in the Boat Race in 1988, 1989, and 1990. Oxford triumphed in all three races. Searle was President of the Oxford University Boat Club in the 1989–1990 academic year.

Career

Searle is an Olympic gold medalist, winning the coxed pairs event at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics with his brother Greg Searle. He also won a World Championships gold medal in 1993. In the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, he finished third in the

coxless four A coxless four, abbreviated as a 4- and also called a straight four, is a racing shell used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for four persons who propel the boat with sweep oars, without a coxswain. The crew consists of four ...

event. He is a steward of

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 ...

Personal life

Searle has two sons, Kit and Jake. He still trains at

Molesey Boat Club Molesey Boat Club is a Rowing (sport), rowing club between Molesey Lock and Sunbury Lock on the River Thames in England. The club was founded in 1866 where its boathouse stands with hardstanding next to the Thames Path National Trail, Thames P ...

References

* 1969 births Living people English male rowers English Olympic competitors People educated at Hampton School Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford Members of the Order of the British Empire Olympic rowers for Great Britain Rowers at the 1992 Summer Olympics Rowers at the 1996 Summer Olympics Stewards of Henley Royal Regatta Olympic gold medallists for Great Britain Olympic bronze medallists for Great Britain Oxford University Boat Club rowers Olympic medalists in rowing World Rowing Championships medalists for Great Britain Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1992 Summer Olympics {{England-rowing-bio-stub