German Rowing legend, Kathrin Boron to be awarded highest distinction in rowing

Four time Olympic gold medallist and eight time world champion

Kathrin Boron of Germany, is to be honoured for her outstanding career in rowing with the 2009 Thomas Keller Medal during a ceremony at Lucerne, Switzerland's Lake Rotsee on Sunday, 12 July, during the Finals of the Rowing World Cup regatta.

Boron won the first of her world championship titles aged just 19, in the women's double sculls during the 1989 World Rowing Championships in Bled, Slovenia. She went on to become one of the most medalled female rowers of all time, winning an incredible 13 world championship medals (8 Gold and 5 Silver) and 5 Olympic medals (4 gold and 1 bronze) throughout her 20-year career.

Her rowing successes were mainly in sculling: A member of the powerful German women's quad which took gold at the Athens Olympics in 2004, she also achieved several podium places in the double and single.

The determined mother of a seven year old daughter, Boron continued to perform consistently while motherhood and a job in Potsdam took up much of her time. She is seen among other rowers as an example and inspiration of what it is possible to achieve.

Self belief and consideration are just two of the many qualities which always come up when talking about Boron. Her ability to motivate other members of the team was a great part of the German's successes and she has provided inspiration to many young rowers who had the good fortune to train or race with her.

Boron announced her retirement following the Beijing Olympics last year, where her quadruple sculls crew took bronze by six hundredths of a second ahead of Ukraine.

The 18-carat gold Thomas Keller Medal will be presented to Kathrin Boron by Dominik Keller, son of the late Thomas Keller, on Sunday 12 July 2009 at 13:00, just before the start of the afternoon Finals at the Rowing World Cup regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland.

About the Thomas Keller Medal

The Thomas Keller Medal is the highest distinction in the sport of rowing. It is awarded to recognise an exceptional international rowing career as well as exemplary sportsmanship and legendary aspect.

The award was named after the late President of FISA, Thomas Keller (Thomi). Born in 1924, Keller was elected President of FISA in 1958, at the age of 34 and was then the youngest-ever president of an international sports federation.

Following the 1988 Olympics, Thomi Keller spontaneously awarded the FISA Medal of Honour to Peter-Michael Kolbe and Pertti Karpinnen to commemorate one of the greatest rivalries in the history of the sport and recognising their exceptional talent and sportsmanship. This shaped the idea of the Thomas Keller Medal which was initiated by the Keller family following Thomi's passing in 1989 and was first awarded to the great Norwegian oarsman Alf Hansen in 1990.

Each year, the winner is carefully selected by the Thomas Keller Medal committee, after a broad international nomination process, to ensure that the true values in which Thomi so strongly believed are represented in this award.

Previous recipients of the Thomas Keller Medal are:

Alf Hansen (NOR)
Thomas Greiner (GER)
Yuri Pimenov (RUS)
Francesco Esposito (ITA)
Nikolai Pimenov (RUS)
Rolf Thorsen (NOR)
Giuseppe Abbagnale (ITA)
Carmine Abbagnale (ITA)
Jana Sorgers (GER)
Thomas Lange (GER)
Kerstin Koeppen (GER)
Roland Baar (GER)
Silken Laumann (CAN)
Kathleen Heddle (CAN)
Steve Redgrave (GBR)
Marnie McBean (CAN)
Peter Antonie (AUS)
Nico Rienks (NED)
Matthew Pinsent (GBR)
Agostino Abbagnale (ITA)
Mike McKay (AUS)
Elisabeta Lipa (ROU)