Paul Bennett MBE

Rower // Men's Squad
Date of Birth: 16th Dec 1988 (35 years old)
Club: University of London Boat Club
Height: 207.00
Hometown: Leeds

Paul Bennett MBE profile image

Paul Bennett enjoyed a memorable Olympic debut as he added Rio 2016 gold to the back-to-back World Championship titles he had won with the men’s eight.

Paul Bennett is an Oxford Blue and is in his fourth season with the senior squad, having made his GB Rowing Team debut in the first international race of the Rio Olympiad.

The tallest rower in the GB squad at 6’8”, Bennett has also won European silver and bronze plus a of World Cup medals during an impressive start to his international career.

Paul followed up back-to-back World Championship titles by winning Olympic gold with the men's eight at Rio 2016

On The Water

2016

Olympic Champion Men's Eight

European Bronze Medallist Men's Eight

2015

World Champion Men's Eight

European Silver Medallist Men's Eight

2014

World Champion Men's Eight

Rio 2016 Olympiad: 2013 – 2016

Bennett was once again selected in the men’s eight for the 2016 season and won a bronze medal at the European Championships in Brandenburg, with GB taking third place on the finish line. Alan Sinclair subbed in for the ill Pete Reed for the Lucerne World Cup, where GB finished fourth. Reed returned for the World Cup in Poznan, where the GB eight enjoyed a good tussle with the Olympic champions from Germany on their way to a silver medal.

The eight saved their best until last and at Rio they won their Olympic heat in fine fashion. The Olympic final saw them lead from the front and they produced a devastating performance to record an emphatic victory and were crowned as Rio 2016 gold-medallists.

Bennett’s second World title came at the end of an enthralling 2015 for the GB men’s eight, who enjoyed a season-long battle with Germany.

Earlier in the season, the Germans had enjoyed the upper hand at the European Championships in Poznan, Poland but the tables were turned at the World Cup in Varese, where GB produced a thrilling late surge to win gold by three-tenths of a second. It was even closer in Lucerne as Bennett and his crew held on the narrowest of victories.

The World Championships in Aiguebelette promised even more drama and did not disappoint as the rivals went head-to-head once again. This time the GB eight won by two-tenths of a second to claim gold for a third successive year.

Bennett had first raced with the eight at the Lucerne World Cup in 2014, winning a bronze medal. He retained his place for the World Championships in Amsterdam and helped GB return to the top of the podium with a convincing victory.

Before that he had raced in the men’s pair, first at the Eton Dorney World Cup in 2013 when he and Karl Hudspith placed seventh. He was then paired with Matt Gotrel at the start of the following season, winning a fine bronze at the Aiguebelette World Cup.

Cox Phelan Hill leads the celebrations after the men's eight win gold at the 2014 World Championships in Amsterdam

London 2012 Olympiad: 2009 – 2012

Bennett raced in the men’s eight at the 2012 FISU World University Rowing Championships in Kazan, winning a silver medal.

GB Competitive Record

Olympic Games
Rio de Janeiro 2016 M8+
Olympic Games:
Rio de Janeiro 2016
M8+
World Rowing Championships
2015 M8+
2014 M8+
World Rowing Championships:
2015
M8+
World Rowing Championships:
2014
M8+
European Rowing Championships
2016 M8+
2015 M8+
European Rowing Championships:
2016
M8+
European Rowing Championships:
2015
M8+
World Rowing Cup Regattas
2016 Poznan M8+
2016 Lucerne 4th M8+
2015 Varese M8+
2015 Lucerne M8+
World Rowing Cup Regattas:
2016 Poznan
M8+
World Rowing Cup Regattas:
2016 Lucerne
4th
M8+
World Rowing Cup Regattas:
2015 Varese
M8+
World Rowing Cup Regattas:
2015 Lucerne
M8+
World University Rowing Championships
2012 M8+
World University Rowing Championships:
2012
M8+
GB Rowing Team Senior Trials
2016 5th M2-
2015 4th M2-
2014 4th M2-
2013 6th M2-
GB Rowing Team Senior Trials:
2016
5th
M2-
GB Rowing Team Senior Trials:
2015
4th
M2-
GB Rowing Team Senior Trials:
2014
4th
M2-
GB Rowing Team Senior Trials:
2013
6th
M2-

More info...

Club: University of London Boat Club
Boat: Men’s Squad
Role: Rower
Coaches: Sean Bowden
Learnt to Row: University of London Boat Club
Original Club(s): University of London Boat Club
Original Coach(es): Brian Young, Rusty Williams

Beyond the Boat

Bennett was actively involved with sport from a young age, and went on to graduate from King’s College London in 2012 with a first-class honours degree in Mathematics.

He then studied for a masters degree in Computer Science at Oxford University and raced in the victorious Blue boat in the men’s Boat Race in 2013.

Bennett is Lottery funded through UK Sport.

Personal information

Place of Birth Current Address Home Town
London Oxford Leeds
Place of Birth:
London
Current Address:
Oxford
Home Town:
Leeds
Date of Birth Weight Height
16th December 1988 98kg 207cm
Date of Birth:
16th December 1988
Weight:
98kg
Height:
207cm
Education
King’s College London; Oxford University
Education:
King’s College London; Oxford University