Christopher Liwski

Christopher Liwski
Born
Christopher Donald Liwski

(1980-04-21) April 21, 1980 (age 44)
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
EducationSyracuse University (BA)
University of Oxford (MS)
Boston College (JD)
Occupation(s)Rower, Lawyer
Christopher Liwski
Medal record
Representing  United States
Rowing
World Rowing Championships
Gold medal – first place 2007 Munich 4+
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Eton 8+
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2003 Santo Domingo 8+

Christopher Donald Liwski[1][2] (born April 21, 1980) is a Canadian American rower, a six-time U.S. National Team member, a double world championship medal winner, and a two-time member of the United States Olympic Rowing Team.

Career

Early life and education

Liwski was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He attended Syracuse University as an undergraduate.[3] He then began his legal education at the Syracuse University College of Law,[4] before enrolling in St Catherine's College of Oxford University, where he undertook a Master of Science degree in Water Science, Policy and Management. Liwski then returned to the U.S. where he completed his J.D. degree at Boston College Law School.[5]

Other activities

From 2008 to 2015 he served as the director & legal chair of the board of directors of the United States Rowing Association.[6] From 2017 to 2018 he served on the board of trustees of the Visiting Nurses Association of Princeton, New Jersey.[6]

Liwski practices law in the United States. He began his legal career as an attorney with the legal department of Johnson & Johnson and later worked for Drinker Biddle & Reath.[6] Liwski now serves as Head of Legal, North America for Sanofi Consumer Healthcare.[6]

Collegiate Rowing

Liwski rowed for the Syracuse University Crew for four years as an undergraduate,[4] was the recipient of the David Godfrey Award in his senior year, and has been inducted into the Syracuse Athletics Rowing Hall of Fame.

Also, just hours after competing in the 2005 World Cup event at Dorney Lake, Eton, Liwski made a guest appearance in St Catherine's College first VIII, which was competing in the Oxford University Summer Eights. He was joined in that crew by fellow international competitors Andrew Triggs Hodge and Colin Smith. They defeated their opposition, Hertford College.[citation needed]

The Boat Race

Whilst at Oxford University, Liwski was a member of Oxford University Boat Club and took part in the Boat Race in 2005,[7] marking the 151st racing of the prestigious annual event. Both universities had extremely strong intakes that year, with Cambridge boasting several world champions and the Oxford crew including Olympic silver medallist Barney Williams, and now famed British oarsmen, and three-time Olympic Gold Medalists, Andrew Triggs Hodge and Pete Reed. Oxford, with Liwski in the five seat, won the contest by two lengths in a time of 16 minutes 42 seconds.[7] To date, the 2005 Oxford Blue Boat marks the heaviest crew weight of all time.[8]

International rowing career

Liwski won his first international gold medal in 2002 at the three seat of the United States 8+ in the Nations Cup World Championships.[3][9] He then won gold again in the United States 8+ at the 2003 Pan-American Games.[3][4] Liwski sat in the five seat of the United States 8+, which came fourth in the final World Cup event before the Athens Olympics, but rowed as the Olympic team spare by the time the crew went on to win Gold in Athens.[10][11] A year later he competed internationally again, this time at the World Cup event at Dorney Lake, Eton. Liwski, and Oxford crewmate Michael Blomquist,[12] finished ninth there in the coxless pair.

In 2006, Liwski competed at the World Championships rowing at the five seat in the United States 8+,[13] which won a bronze medal behind Germany and Italy.[14] Competing again at the 2007 World Championships, Liwski stroked the U.S. Men’s 4+ to a gold medal.[14]

In 2008, Liwski was once again named as alternate on the men's sweep team for the Beijing Olympics.[15]

Achievements

Olympics

World Championships

  • 2007 Munich – Gold, US 4+ (Stroke)
  • 2006 Eton – Bronze, US 8+ (Five)

World Cups

  • 2005 Eton – 9th, US 2- (Bow)
  • 2004 Lucerne – 4th, US 8+ (Five)

International competition

  • 2003 Pan American Games – Gold, US 8+ (Five); 4th, US 2- (Bow)[14]
  • 2002 Under-23 World Championships – Gold, US 8+ (Three)[14]

Nationally

  • 2006 Nationals – Gold, PTC 8+
  • 2007 Nationals – Gold, PTC 8+; Silver, PTC 4-[16]

References

  1. ^ CHRISTOPHER DONALD LIWSKI - Attorney Detail
  2. ^ Martindale-Hubbell Online Directory
  3. ^ a b c "Liwski Selected as an Alternate to the 2004 U.S. Olympic Rowing Team". Syracuse University Athletics. July 8, 2004. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  4. ^ a b c "Chris Liwski '02 Wins Gold With U.S. Eight At Pan Am Games". Syracuse University Athletics. August 11, 2003. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  5. ^ "Riverview grad on gold medal team". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. September 3, 2007. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  6. ^ a b c d LinkedIn Profile
  7. ^ a b Dodd, Christopher (March 28, 2005). "Boat Race: Size matters as mighty Oxford leave Light Blues in their wake". The Independent. Archived from the original on November 9, 2012. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  8. ^ Quarrel, Rachel (March 23, 2005). "Oxford weigh in as the heaviest crew of all time". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on September 13, 2012. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  9. ^ "Liwski rows to gold". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. August 7, 2002. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  10. ^ "International feel to Britain's Boat Race". Times of Malta. Reuters. March 26, 2005. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  11. ^ Rosewell, Mike (March 1, 2005). "Olympians dominate in cosmopolitan line-ups". The Times. Retrieved January 29, 2011.[dead link]
  12. ^ "World Cup: Hot Heats and Parking Passes". row2k. May 26, 2005. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  13. ^ "US Men's Eight Advances to Final; US Team Friday Results from 2006 World Rowing Championships". row2k. August 25, 2006. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  14. ^ a b c d e f "Chris Liwski '02 Named as an Alternate to 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Roster". Syracuse University Athletics. June 6, 2008. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  15. ^ "2008 Summer Olympic Games Preview – Rowing". The Sports Network. July 17, 2008. Retrieved January 29, 2011.[permanent dead link]
  16. ^ "Twenty-Three Titles Awarded on Final Day of the 2007 USRowing National Championships". row2k. June 23, 2007. Retrieved January 29, 2011.