Sebastian Mayer

German rower Sebastian Mayer finished sixth in the double sculls, partnering Roland Opfer, at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and an unfortunate fourth, partnering Stefan Roehnert, at the 2000 Sydney Games. In 2004, Mayer won the Boat Race representing Cambridge University while studying biology at Gonville and Caius College. However, two years earlier, Cambridge had victory in sight until Mayer collapsed through exhaustion, and the handicap of carrying his “dead weight” of 89kg proved too much for his fellow crew members, and Oxford won by two thirds of a length.

In 1997 and 1998, Mayer won silver medals at the World Championships with the quadruple sculls. Nationally, he won the double sculls in 1996 with Opfer, and between 1998-2000 with Roehnert. Mayer also added the quadruple sculls title in 1997.