Pete Reed facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Lieutenant Commander
Pete Reed
OBE

Personal information
Nationality	British
Born	(1981-07-27) 27 July 1981 (age 44) Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Height	6 ft 6 in (198 cm)
Sport
Sport	Rowing
College team	Oxford University Boat Club
Club	Leander Club
Coached by	Jürgen Gröbler
Medal record Men's rowing Representing  Great Britain Olympic Games Gold 2008 Beijing Coxless four Gold 2012 London Coxless four Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro Eight World Championships Gold 2005 Gifu Coxless four Gold 2006 Eton Dorney Coxless four Gold 2013 Chungju Eight Gold 2014 Amsterdam Eight Gold 2015 Aiguebelette Eight Silver 2009 Poznań Coxless pair Silver 2010 Karapiro Coxless pair Silver 2011 Bled Coxless pair European Championships Silver 2015 Poznan Eight Bronze 2014 Belgrade Eight

Peter K. Reed, born on July 27, 1981, is a famous British rower. He is an amazing athlete who won three gold medals at the Olympics! He also won five gold and three silver medals at the World Championships.

Early Life and Military Service

Peter Reed was born in Seattle, Washington, USA. His family moved to England a few months later. He grew up in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, and went to Cirencester Deer Park School. He later studied at Cirencester College.

In 1999, Peter joined the Royal Navy. He started rowing a bit later than most athletes. In 2001, while training as an officer, he tried an ergometer (a rowing machine) for the first time. He quickly set the fastest time in the Royal Navy's fitness contest! He left the Navy in 2022 with the rank of lieutenant commander.

Peter's Rowing Journey

Peter began rowing in 2002 during his second year at the University of the West of England. He was studying mechanical engineering to become a naval engineer. In 2003, he became a successful leader of his university's Boat Club.

Joining Oxford University

In 2004, Peter got a place at the University of Oxford. He studied engineering at Oriel College. While there, he trained with the Oxford University Boat Club (OUBC). His coach, Sean Bowden, gave him the nickname "The Commander."

Peter was chosen to race for Oxford in the famous annual Boat Race against Cambridge. His team lost in 2004 but won in 2005. The 2005 race was very exciting. Oxford won by a small distance with their "heaviest-ever Boat Race crew."

Becoming a World Champion

In 2005, Peter and his Oxford teammate, Andrew Triggs Hodge, won the British senior pairs trials. They won these trials every year from 2005 to 2012! After two famous rowers retired, Peter and Andrew were chosen to join the new Great Britain Coxless Four team. This team also included Alex Partridge and Steve Williams.

The British Four team was amazing! They won 27 races in a row. They won gold medals at all three World Cups in 2005 and 2006. They also became World Champions at the end of both seasons.

Olympic Gold Medals

Peter continued to train hard for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The team faced some challenges early on, as two teammates got injured. But they came together and raced well. In the Olympic final, the Australian team was ahead for most of the race. However, the British boat made a huge push at the end. They won the exciting race by a little over one second, earning a gold medal!

Peter is very tall, about 6 feet 6 inches. In 2006, it was reported that he had the largest recorded lung capacity (11.68 litres). After the Beijing Olympics, he was allowed to keep training for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

At the 2012 London Olympics, Peter, along with Andrew Triggs-Hodge, Tom James, and Alex Gregory, helped Great Britain win another gold medal in the men's coxless four. This meant they kept their title from 2008!

He then competed at the 2013 World Rowing Championships in Chungju, where he won a gold medal as part of the men's eight team. He won another gold medal with the men's eight at the 2014 World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam. The next year, in 2015, he was part of the British team that won the most medals at the 2015 World Rowing Championships in France. He won another gold medal with the men's eight.

In April 2018, Peter Reed announced that he was retiring from professional rowing.

Life After Rowing

In October 2019, Peter shared that he had a serious health issue called a spinal stroke. This caused him to become paralyzed from the chest down.

Peter and his wife welcomed a son in 2023.

Awards and Recognition

Peter Reed has received special awards for his services to rowing. He was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2009. Later, in 2017, he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).

Rowing Achievements

Olympics

• 2016 Rio de Janeiro – Gold, eight
• 2012 London – Gold, coxless four
• 2008 Beijing – Gold, coxless four

World Championships

• 2015 Aiguebelette – Gold, men's eight
• 2014 Amsterdam – Gold, men's eight
• 2013 Chungju – Gold, men's eight
• 2011 Bled – Silver, coxless pair
• 2010 Karapiro – Silver, coxless pair
• 2009 Poznań – Silver, coxless pair
• 2006 Eton – Gold, coxless four
• 2005 Gifu – Gold, coxless four

Other Awards

• British Olympic Association Male Olympic Athlete 2014
• Senior Pairs Trials winner multiple times (2005-2012)
• Combined Services Sportsman of the Year 2005 and 2008
• Royal Navy Sportsman of the Year 2005

See also

In Spanish: Peter Reed para niños