OSCA
FOUR OLD SCOTCH COLLEGIAN ATHLETES AND A COACH AT THE GAMES
FIVE OLD BOYS TOOK ON
Four Old Scotch Collegian athletes represented Australia at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games , along with Crag Hilliard (’ 74 ), who continued an illustrious coaching career in the role of Targeted Athlete Campaign Lead for the Australian Athletics team . The four Old Boy competitors were :
• Josh Booth (’ 08 ), who rowed in the men ’ s eight , which made the final and finished sixth ;
• Stuart Sim (’ 11 ), who coxed the men ’ s eight ;
• James Rook (’ 15 ), who coxed the women ’ s eight , which made the final and finished fifth ; and
• Denis Genreau (’ 17 ), who was a member of the Olyroos soccer team , which lost to Egypt in its final group stage fixture , and missed the quarter-finals . JOSH BOOTH (’ 08 ) participated in his third Olympic Games . At school , Josh won
the Head of the River in 2007 and 2008 , in 2008 as Captain of Boats . Josh was the fourth generation in his direct line to row in the 1st VIII at Scotch , but the first of the four to win a Head of the River . He was also a member of the 1st XVIII in 2008 .
After school , Josh debuted in the Rowing Australia national team in 2010 , and has represented Australia in many different boat classes , winning two gold , four silver and one bronze medal at Rowing World Cups and Championships since 2012 . In his Olympic debut in London in 2012 , Josh rowed in the men ’ s eight , placed sixth , and in Rio ( 2016 ) he won silver as part of the men ’ s four with fellow Old Scotch Collegian , William Lockwood (’ 06 ).
Outside of rowing , Josh is a doctor , and in 2020 , with the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Games , worked in hospitals in Melbourne as part of the COVID-19 response .
STUART SIM (’ 11 ) coxed the Scotch 1st VIII to win both the 2010 and 2011 Heads of the River , in 2011 as Vice Captain of Boats . Both Stuart ' s father Michael (’ 78 ) and his grandfather Bob (’ 41 ) also coxed Scotch 1st VIIIs to Head of the River victories , but Stuart is the first member of those three generations to have coxed two winning Head of the River crews . Since school , Stuart has represented Australia at the 2014 and 2015 World Under 23 Championships , in the 2016 Olympic Qualifying Regatta , and in 2021 he coxed the Victorian King ’ s Cup men ’ s eight to first place .
Stuart studied for a BA , Business Administration and Finance at the University of Washington , graduating in 2017 . At Washington , he coxed the university ’ s Varsity eight to two US national titles – the first Old Scotch Collegian to achieve this .
Rowing in the Australian men ’ s eight with Josh Booth and Stuart Sim was Angus
78 Great Scot Issue 163 – September 2021