Mark John Hunter Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, MBE (born 1 July 1978) is a retired United Kingdom, British Rowing (sport), rower.

Rowing career

Hunter was born in Forest Gate, London and he attended Havering Sixth Form College. While representing Havering in the London Youth Games, he took part in some of his early rowing competitions. In 2007 he partnered Zac Purchase in the Great Britain Lightweight Men's Double Scull. They won medals at each Rowing World Cup, World Cup Regatta through the season. At the World Rowing Championships in Munich-Oberschleissheim they won a Bronze medal. The following year, their double dominated the lightweight event, winning all of their races, and finishing the season as Olympic champions. After a year off in 2009, they took Gold at the 2010 World Championships at Lake Karapiro in New Zealand. He was part of the British squad that topped the medal table at the 2011 World Rowing Championships in Bled, where he won a gold medal as part of the lightweight double sculls with Zac Purchase. In 2013, Hunter announced his retirement from competitive rowing.

Coaching

During his year off after the 2008 Olympics, he was an assistant coach of UCLA Women's rowing program.

Awards

He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2009 New Year Honours, and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science from the University of East London (UEL) in November 2009.
/ref> In 2009, Hunter was inducted into the London Youth Games Hall of Fame, and he was also granted an Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, MBE for his services to rowing.

Achievements

Olympics

* 2012 London – Silver, Lightweight Double Scull * 2008 Beijing – Gold, Lightweight Double Scull (stroke)

World Championships

* 2011 Bled – Gold, Lightweight Double Scull * 2010 Lake Karapiro – Gold, Lightweight Double Scull * 2007 Munich – Bronze, Lightweight Double Scull

World Cups

* 2012 Belgrade- Gold, Lightweight Double Scull (stroke) * 2010 Munich – Gold, Lightweight Double Scull (stroke) * 2008 Poznań – Gold, Lightweight Double Scull (stroke) * 2008 Lucerne – Gold, Lightweight Double Scull (stroke) * 2008 Munich – Gold, Lightweight Double Scull (stroke) * 2007 Lucerne – Silver, Lightweight Double Scull * 2007 Amsterdam – Silver, Lightweight Double Scull * 2007 Ottensheim – Bronze, Lightweight Double Scull * 2005 Munich – 6th, Lightweight Double Scull * 2005 Dorney Lake, Eton – 4th, Lightweight Double Scull

Nations Cup

* 1999 – 8th, Heavyweight Double Scull * 1998 – 9th, Heavyweight Double Scull * 1997 – 10th, Heavyweight Quadruple Scull

GB Rowing Team Senior Trials

* 2011 – 4th, Lightweight Single Scull 2008–2009 Coached for UCLA Women's Rowing Team

Footnotes

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hunter, Mark English male rowers British male rowers Living people Olympic rowers of Great Britain Rowers at the 2004 Summer Olympics Rowers at the 2008 Summer Olympics Rowers at the 2012 Summer Olympics English Olympic medallists Olympic gold medallists for Great Britain Olympic silver medallists for Great Britain 1978 births Rowers from Greater London Members of the Order of the British Empire Olympic medalists in rowing Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics Members of Leander Club Stewards of Henley Royal Regatta World Rowing Championships medalists for Great Britain People educated at Havering Sixth Form College