Vaughan Thomas

The son of a Royal Navy chief medical officer, Vaughan Thomas studied biology and anthropology at Oxford Polytechnic before graduating in 1990. By then, Thomas had established himself as a fine cox, having guided Shrewsbury School to victory in the Special Schools Race at the Henley Royal Regatta in 1981 and 1982. In those same years he coxed the Great Britain four and pair respectively, at the World Junior Championships.

Thomas was cox to the University of London Boat Club in the Britannia Challenge Cup at Henley in 1984 and 1985, taking them to the semi-final in the second of those years. The following year, 1986, he coxed the Nautilus eight that won the Grand Challenge Cup. Also in 1986, Thomas enjoyed his finest moment on the international stage when he collected a silver medal with the England eight (despite being born in Wales) at the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games.

Thomas coxed either the Great Britain four or eight at four World Championships between 1986-93, winning a fours bronze medal in 1989. He came close to winning a medal with the coxed four at the 1988 Seoul Olympics but Great Britain finished fourth.