Ellen Minzner and Tom Siddall Receive the Order of Ikkos

Ellen Minzner and Tom Siddall received the Order of Ikkos from the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) on Sunday, September 1. Ellen Minzner is the Para High Performance Director and the 2023 USOPC Paralympic Coach of the Year. Her tireless work has elevated the caliber of Para rowing in the U.S. Tom Siddall coached the PR3 Mixed four to a silver medal, the third in a row for the Paralympic event. In addition to his work with the Paralympic team, Tom Siddall is an assistant coach at Harvard University. Rebecca Newman and Bob Arsenault also received the medal. They were nominated by the athletes of the PR3 mixed four with coxswain and were awarded the medals at the Team USA House. The medallion is a symbol of excellence in coaching as represented by athletes’ achievement as an Olympic or Paralympic Medalist.

The Order of Ikkos is an opportunity for athletes to thank the people who have supported their journey to the Olympic Games. The Order of Ikkos was created by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee in 2008. It is presented by Team USA medal-winning athletes to a coach, mentor or other individual who has been instrumental in their success. The Order of Ikkos is named after Ikkos of Tarentum, the first recorded Olympic coach in ancient Greece. His coaching led multiple Tarentine athletes to gold medals in the pentathlon, and his legacy is honored through this award. Each medalist is allowed to present only one medal to a selected recipient.

Several USRowing coaches have been awarded the Order of Ikkos since the inception of the award.

Paris Olympics 2024