Australian rower John Hudson represented the Mosman Rowing Club in 1959 and 1960 before moving to Leichhardt Rowing Club in 1961, becoming their club captain in 1964. At state level Hudson rowed for New South Wales where he won the King’s Cup in the eight at the 1959 Australian Interstate Regatta. He rowed on three further occasions for New South Wales in the King’s Cup in the first half of the 1960s. At the 1964 Australian Rowing Championships he finished second in the coxless fours. Hudson was selected to represent Australia at the 1960 Roma Olympics where he finished fifth in the coxed fours.