Local rower to compete in Summer Olympics again

By Kristen Oelschlagel

Brian Price (centre front) with three of his teammates at the 2011 World Rowing Championships. Photo by Rowing Canada Aviron.

A former member of the Quinte Rowing Club will be gearing up to participate in the summer Olympics again.

Brian Price, 36, will be the coxswain for the Canada men’s eight rowing team at the upcoming 2012 London Olympic Games. Raised in Ameliasburgh and a graduate of Moira Secondary School, Price has been a part of the national team for 14 years.

In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Price and his team came away with a gold medal in the men’s eight rowing competition. Price said it was the highlight of his career so far.

“I jumped into the arms of the guy in front of me. It’s exactly what I saw in Barcelona so 16 years later I knew exactly what I was going to do when we won,” he said.

Price was referring to the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona when the Canada men’s eight rowing team won a gold medal and the moment he knew he wanted to start rowing.

“I saw a little guy jump into the arms of a big guy and thought that’s my job, I can do that,” he said.

It’s a full time job that every member of the men’s eight team is fully committed to, Price said.

“You either make it your full-time job and commit to it, or recognize you’re going to be mediocre at what you do. None of us are satisfied being mediocre,” said Price.

Price and his team are currently training in Italy. They train three times a day, six days a week. Since weather can be unpredictable, Price said it’s important for them to be prepared for any type of weather that might happen at the Olympics.

“Things change daily from flat water to high winds and white caps, the conditions change the way you row. In an outdoor sport you have to adapt to the conditions.”

As a coxswain, it is his job to steer the boat, call out the race plan and keep his teammates motivated. Price credits cancer for giving him not only the size needed to be a coxswain, but also the qualities. When he was seven years old, Price was diagnosed with leukemia. He has been in remission since.

“I got three character traits from having cancer: perseverance, determination and courage. Having those three things are qualities I need and lean on every day when rowing,” Price said.

“They’re three huge things I need in an Olympic final.”

After winning at the 2008 Olympics, Price planned on retiring. He had a career in motivational speaking for two years before coming back into the rowing world.

“I realized I was only 34 years old. I wanted to do two more years and try to get another gold medal,” he said.

Price said he doesn’t plan on rowing much longer, but what he does after the Olympics this summer depends how well the team does. When it comes to retirement, Price said it’s the same for any career athlete.

“When you’re as good as you are at what you do and have to stop doing it, it’s a hard task to take on.”

Price will be competing in the World Rowing Cup II in Switzerland from May 25 to 27. He will start his rowing in the Olympics on July 28.