World Rowing Names Caryn Davies 2023 Thomas Keller Medal Recipient

Three-time Olympic medalist Caryn Davies has been named World Rowing's 2023 Thomas Keller Medal recipient, the organization announced today. Davies becomes the first American to win the award, which debuted in 1990 and is considered the highest honor in the sport of rowing.

Named after Thomas Keller, who was the president of FISA (now World Rowing) from 1958 until his death in 1989, the award recognizes an exceptional international rowing career, as well as exemplary sportsmanship and legendary aspect.

A 12-time U.S. national team member, Davies stroked the women's eight to gold medals at both the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games, also earning a silver medal in the women's eight at her first Olympics in 2004.

Along with her boatmate (coxswain Mary Whipple), Davies became the first U.S. women's rower to win three Olympic medals and medal at three consecutive games when she took home gold from London in 2012.

Davies was part of nine senior national teams from 2002-2012, winning gold medals six times (five in the women's eight, one in the women's four). She stroked the women's eight to a gold medal at the 2006 World Rowing Championships, starting a streak of 11 consecutive world and Olympic titles for the boat from 2006-2016. She helped set a world's best time in the women's eight on three separate occasions.

Davies won her first senior national team medal – gold in the women's eight – in 2002 at the age of 20 following her sophomore year at Harvard University. She also won two medals as part of the junior national team in 1999 and 2000.

After the London 2012 Olympic Games, Davies completed her J.D. from Columbia Law School in 2013, a degree she started while still rowing for the national team, and went on to earn an MBA from Oxford University in 2015. After several years away from the sport, Davies came out of retirement to make the finals of the women's four at the 2019 World Rowing Championships.

A native of Ithaca, N.Y., Davies earned her undergraduate degree from Harvard in 2005.

Watch the World Rowing Awards Presentation on YouTube.