Clifton's Cox stars at national rowing champs with three titles

Source: Will Johnston (Sport News Taranaki / Taranaki Daily News)

Feb 22, 2024

The Clifton Rowing Club finished with a record best fourth (Centennial Oar) at the National Championships at the weekend.

An intense training schedule has paid off for Clifton rower Liam Cox.

The 23-year-old builder from New Plymouth was the stand-out performer for his club at the National Championships held at Lake Karapiro last week, where he claimed three gold medals.

He won titles in the men’s club quad, men’s club doubles and men’s club singles, having achieved the same results at the North Island Championships at the end of January.

His contribution helped the club finish in a record-best fourth position behind Waikato, Avon and the Dunstan Arms clubs. It comes after the club claimed its highest placing at the North Island Championships where it finished third.

“It was an overwhelming feeling of achievement that I still find hard to believe that it’s actually happened,” he said about the nationals.

A gruelling schedule led by former New Zealand representative Jason Williams included 5am wakeups for Cox and club members and training up to three times a day.

“We had a group of people that demanded the best out of each other.”

In other events, the women’s novice double sculls won gold, while the women’s novice quad and the men’s novice double sculls picked up a bronze each.

Cox said the results weren’t possible without the level of support he and club members have around them.

“I feel the main reason the club’s done so well is because of the coaches; they have created an environment over the last few years that is amazing and is allowing us to flourish as athletes.

“I’m immensely proud of the club’s performance. We are a small club that punches so far above its weight range,” Cox said.

The focus for the club now switches to the New Zealand Secondary Schools Championships, known as the Maadi Cup, which will be held from March 18-23 in the South Island.