.jpg) Twaddle in 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | (1976-08-21)21 August 1976 (age 49) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Robert Nathan TwaddleMNZM (born 21 August 1976) is a New Zealand formerrower and Olympic medallist. He competed at the2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, in the coxless pair rowing with his partnerGeorge Bridgewater and won a bronze medal.[1]
The pair began representing New Zealand together in 2004 and won bronze medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.[2]
Twaddle was born in Whakatane, New Zealand. He crewed for the Otago University and Auckland Rowing Clubs, and won several titles atNew Zealand Rowing Championships, including the single sculls championships.
Twaddle crewed firstly for New Zealand at the World Championships in Milan Italy in 2003, qualifying for the Athens Olympics with pairs partner Robert Hellstrom.[3]
The following year, Twaddle and Bridgwater were paired together and finished fourth in the pairs final at theAthens Olympics.
Twaddle and Bridgewater were world champions in 2005. They won a gold medal at theWorld Rowing Championships inGifu Prefecture,Japan, in theMagic 45 minutes where four New Zealand crews won gold medals. The pair were silver medallists in the 2006 and 2007 World Rowing Championships.[4]
The pair were named Halberg Team of the Year in 2005.
Twaddle retired from international rowing in 2011.
In the2009 New Year Honours, Twaddle was appointed aMember of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to rowing.[5][6]
He was part of the International Olympic Broadcasting Commentary team for the 2016 summer Olympics in Rio.[7]
Twaddle is a graduate of the Otago University, with a degree in Physical Education. He has post-graduate studies in finance. Following his rowing career, Twaddle worked as an Advisor for High Performance Sport New Zealand.
Twaddle is a member of the New Zealand Olympic Committee Athletes Commission, having held the position since 2009. He is the current Chair of that Commission, and a member of the NZOC Board.[8]
Prior to winning Olympic bronze, Twaddle and Bridgewater were world champions in 2005 and silver medalists in 2006 and 2007.
SoL Chapter Pres. 2017
 | This biographical article relating to New Zealand rowing is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
  | This article about a New Zealand Olympic medalist is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
