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Cape Town - South Africa’s two-time Olympic rowing coach, Roger Barrow, has been named 2016 World Rowing Coach of the Year.
According to the SASCOC website, it's a major honour for Barrow, who was in charge of the rowing team at Rio 2016 and London 2012.
South Africa secured a silver medal in the men’s pair in Rio through Shaun Keeling and cancer-survivor Lawrence Brittain, while they had four boats in finals on one particular day with no medals to show for their efforts.
Barrow was given the award by World Rowing Federation in Lausanne.
He had been up for nomination two years ago but missed out back then.
"Roger Barrow has spearheaded the development of elite rowing in South Africa which culminated in the first-ever Olympic gold medal in rowing for not just South Africa, but the whole of Africa," FISA said.
"This gold in the lightweight men’s four at the London Olympics was achieved using a small pool of athletes. Barrow has since grown the squad relying on the enthusiasm and dedication of athletes in the face of funding limitations.
"Instilling a winning credence, he took a squad of five boats to Rio - the biggest squad South Africa has ever fielded at an Olympic Games. All crews made the A-final with the men’s pair winning silver."
Barrow now has another date to look forward to next month when the award winners will be honoured on 28 January at a gala dinner during the 2016 World Rowing Coaches Conference in Vancouver, Canada.
