Donald Gemmell came from Wanganui, New Zealand. He played multiple sports at school, and captained the rugby team at Wanganui Tech. After his attention switched to rowing, Gemmell was selected to be part of the New Zealand coxed fours team at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, where the team finished in seventh place. Two years later, Gemmell won his first national championship in the coxed fours in Whanganui. This was followed by two more titles, in the eights, in 1959 and 1960. Gemmell also competed at the 1958 British Empire Games in Cardiff, where the crew finished fourth.
New Zealand