Tony O'Connor (rower)

{{short description|Irish rower}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{BLP sources|date=October 2012}}

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Tony O'Connor is a former international rower from Ireland. He is a double Olympian who represented Ireland and won five medals at the World Championships as part of a lightweight pair. In 2016, Tony also coached at the Southern Rowing Performance Centre. He was born on {{Birth date and age|1969|6|1}}, in Grimsby, UK.{{Cite web|title=O'CONNOR|url=http://www.worldrowing.com/athletes/athlete/8044/|website=worldrowing.com|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-22}}

A member of the Shannon and Neptune Rowing Clubs, he holds the record for most senior Irish Rowing Championship wins (21). He has won 5 medals at the World Rowing Championships in the Men's Lightweight Pair: Gold in 2001; Silvers in 1996 and 1997: Bronzes in 1994 and 1999. He and partner Neville Maxwell held the World Best Time for Men's Lightweight Pair, 6:26.61 set at Paris in 1994. He has been twice an Olympian, finishing 4th in the Men's Lightweight Coxless Four in Atlanta 1996, and 11th in the same event at Sydney 2000.{{cite news |title=From athlete to coach: Tony O'Connor |url=http://www.worldrowingmagazine.com/worldrowingmagazine/2006summer/?pg=16#pg16 |work=World Rowing Magazine |date=Summer 2006 |accessdate=13 October 2012 }}{{cite news |title=double Olympian |url=https://christscollege.com/assets/Uploads/Rowing-Brochure-web.pdf |work=Christs college brochure |accessdate=22 May 2020 }}{{cite news |title=Former Mathematics Teacher |url=https://christscollege.com/college-life/latest-news/the-latest-addition/ |work=Christs college website |date=11 Feb 2020 |accessdate=22 May 2020 }}

Tony O'Connor was also the coach for the New Zealand men's eight, which won gold at the 2020 Summer Olympics. As part of this, he also featured in a documentary called ‘[https://watch.coachforlife.nz/ The Rowing Teacher]’.

Tony O’Connor currently coaches at Christ’s College, Canterbury, New Zealand, where he also teaches mathematics.