Alexander E. Karwoski '08

Alex’s Olympic rowing career started at Groton in the spring of 2005; he credits his coaches, teachers, advisors, friends, and family for his success.

After Groton, he rowed for Trinity College during his freshman year, then transferred to Cornell University, where he rowed in the varsity boat as a junior and senior. After graduation in 2012, Alex made his first national team and competed at the U-23 World Championships, finishing fourth in the men’s straight four.

After working and coaching at Kent School in 2012–13, Alex began to train with the U.S. Rowing Training Center and competed at the 2013, 2014, and 2015 World Championships in the men’s pair, double, and eight respectively. In 2016, he was selected to the men’s eight and competed in the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, finishing fourth.

Post-Olympics, Alex was an assistant coach at Cornell in 2016–17, then was selected to row in the men’s eight at the 2017 World Championships, where the boat finished second.

Despite his success on the water, Alex was a talented and well-rounded athlete at Groton, earning nine varsity letters—four in cross country, three in crew, and two in basketball. He captained both the cross country and basketball teams in his Sixth Form year and led the cross country team to a New England Championship.
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