Photo courtesy of Drexel Athletics
At the 2024 Olympic Games, Drexel alumnus Justin Best won gold in the Men’s four-man boat race, the first time the United States has won gold in this event since 1960. “The words exist, I think, but I can’t put them together right now about how that [winning gold] feels,” said Best after a fantastic finish.
Rowing and Justin Best have gone hand in hand for over a decade now. The twenty six year old Olympian got his start at Unionville High School in Kennett Square, PA, where he rowed for four years, and competed as part of the US Junior National Team in 2014 and 2015. In 2014 at the CanAmMex Regatta in Canada, Best was part of the men’s eight team that secured gold, and in 2015, he was a part of the men’s eight team that took home silver in the World Junior Rowing Championships in Brazil.
After committing to Drexel, Best made his impact immediately, helping the men’s varsity eight-boat row to their first ever win at the prestigious Henley Royal Regatta in England. Additionally from 2016-2018, Best was a part of Drexel teams that won consecutive overall team titles at the Dad Vail Regatta. Best’s collegiate career would be his first exposure to his future olympic teammates, Liam Corrigan, Michael Grady and Nick Mead, all who rowed at prestigious universities and battled against Drexel at regattas.
Following Best’s graduation in 2019, the Pennsylvania native took his talents to Tokyo, and competed as part of the men’s eight-boat that finished fourth in the 2020 Olympics. Aside from his first experience rowing with Corrigan and Mead, who were both in the boat, Best acknowledges the fourth place finish was disappointing for him, but watches the race often on his laptop for motivation.
As the Paris Olympics drew closer, Team USA assembled the four-man boat that would eventually win gold, pairing Best with Harvard rower Liam Corrigan, Cornell rower Michael Grady and Princeton rower Nick Mead. The four took home silver at the 2023 World Championships, but a silver was not acceptable for the boys in the boat.
The race began with the United States squaring up against New Zealand, Great Britain, Italy, Romania and Australia, with 2,000 meters all that stood between the former Dragon’s dreams of winning gold on Aug. 1.
The four got off to a strong start, and led for a majority of the race, but with around 600 meters left, New Zealand’s four drew closer, putting the pressure on Team USA. Noticing the oncoming competition, Liam Corrigan called “red,” a term the boat used as motivation, and like a bull seeing red, the boat soared to the finish, crossing at 5:49:03, 0.85 seconds ahead of New Zealand. Winning gold in the four marked history for Team USA, as it was the first gold medal won in the event since the 1960 Rome Olympics.
Best has now forever etched his name into the Drexel record book, as he is the first Dragon to ever win a gold medal at the Olympics. The only other Drexel medalist was Charles Horter, who took home a bronze medal in sailing at the 1972 Munich Games. The excitement in Best’s life only increased following the race, as the rower proposed to his girlfriend, Lainey Duncan, with a gorgeous background of over 2,500 yellow roses and the Eiffel Tower. Best’s last week has been as memorable as they come, bringing home a Gold Medal for Team USA, and forever leaving his impact on the sport of rowing.
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Publish date : 2024-08-09 02:00:00
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