Alan Thompson (canoeist)

Alan Thompson

Medal record
Representing  New Zealand
Men's canoe sprint
Olympic Games
	1984 Los Angeles	K-1 1000 m
	1984 Los Angeles	K-4 1000 m
World Championships
	1982 Belgrade	K-1 1000 m
	1982 Belgrade	K-2 500 m
	1983 Tampere	K-1 1000 m

Alan Thompson (born 14 June 1959) is a sprint canoeist who competed in the early to mid-1980s. Competing at three Summer Olympics, he won both of his gold medals at Los Angeles in 1984, earning them in the K-1 1000 m and K-4 1000 m events. Thompson is only one of ten New Zealanders to have won two or more olympic gold medals.

Thompson was born in 1959 in Gisborne, New Zealand. He received his schooling at Gisborne Boys' High School, for whom he played rugby union; he was selected for the under-18 North Island team.^[1]

Thompson also won three medals at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships with two silvers (K-1 1000 m and K-2 500 m: both 1982), and a bronze (K-1 1000 m: 1983).

After retiring from top-level canoeing Thompson became a coach, selector and manager for New Zealand canoeing teams and eventually became president of the New Zealand Canoeing Federation.

References

• ICF medalists for Olympic and World Championships - Part 1: flatwater (now sprint): 1936-2007.
• ICF medalists for Olympic and World Championships - Part 2: rest of flatwater (now sprint) and remaining canoeing disciplines: 1936-2007.
• Profile on New Zealand Olympic Committee
• Sports-reference.com profile