Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: Gustavo Laureano

Gustavo Laureano was born in Newburgh, N.Y., and is a graduate of San Miguel Academy. Gustavo earned a bronze medal in the men's coxswain 1k at the 2023 USRowing Atlantic City Indoor National Championships and has been to the USRowing Youth National Championships twice: in 2022 as a coxswain and in 2023 as a rower.

What is your family background?

My parents are from Mexico and El Salvador and came here about 16 years ago.

How did you get into rowing?

I started rowing when I was in fifth grade, and I wanted to be on the water, but also because I wanted to have a better future for high school, college, and a good career.

What motivates you to keep going when things get difficult?

What motivates me when things get difficult or when I am in a lot of pain is thinking about my family and how proud they would be if I kept doing it. I also want to be helpful to my boat, adding power and technique.

What is the most meaningful aspect of rowing to you?

The most meaningful aspect of rowing to me is being able to row with my friends and enjoying the time on the water, especially when the water is like a mirror. I also enjoy helping out the younger kids at my middle school, San Miguel Academy, so that they can become as good as, or better than, me. Especially after attending the Olympic Development Program, I will be able to help the younger coxswains become better with the knowledge I received.

The theme for Hispanic Heritage Month this year is Latinos: Driving Prosperity, Power, and Progress in America. How do we continue driving progress in rowing?

The way to continue driving progress in rowing in America is getting more youth rowers to learn to row and work hard, so that they could be more competitive and start rowing at a younger age.

WATCH: 2022 USRowing Youth National Championships: San Miguel Academy