Bruce Hick came to Canberra in the early 1980’s in the pursuit of greater rowing and sculling opportunities. It was during his time as a member of the Canberra Rowing Club that Bruce received his first chance to further his rowing career by attaining a scholarship with the ACT Academy of Sport and the Australian Institute of Sport.
At the interstate level, Bruce was part of the crew that won the Penrith Cup in 1987 and was also included in the Territory Eight that stunned the rowing world by winning the coveted King’s Cup a decade later.
Representing his country for the first time, Bruce won bronze in the lightweight quad sculls at the 1990 World Championships, only to return to win gold in the Championships the following year.
Bruce and his fellow quad member Gary Lynagh won consecutive gold medals at the World Championships in 1992 and 1993, and silver in the lightweight coxless fours at the 1994 World Championships in Indianapolis.
The success continued, with a bronze in the lightweight double sculls at the 1995 World Championships, and a bronze in the same event at the Atlanta Olympic Games the following year. With a momentary break to start a family, Bruce won his final World Championship medal in 1999.
Bruce was ranked in the pantheon of Australia’s rowing and sculling ‘greats’ by the time he had retired at the conclusion of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. He had achieved Olympic and Commonwealth Games glory along with an impressive World Championship record in a career spanning 25 years.
In recognition of Bruce’s achievements he was awarded the OAM and was acclaimed the 1991 ACT Sportstar of the Year for his rowing achievements, a clear indication of the respect he has obtained within the ACT his for his sporting prowess.
ROWING
Born: 20 August 1963
Inducted: 2004
Full Member