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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Award-winning Trent University Rower Peter Van Rooijen Appears in Sports Illustrated Magazine

Mr. Van Rooijen's photo featured in "Faces in the Crowd" section

Wednesday, January 28, 2004, Peterborough


Trent University's top rower has always been a recognizable face on campus, but he's recently been identified as "a face in the crowd," by Sports Illustrated magazine.

Peter Van Rooijen, a third-year business student and gold medal rower was featured in the "Faces in the Crowd" section of the January 19, 2004 issue of Sports Illustrated magazine. The section recognizes leading amateur athletes and in this issue, Mr. Van Rooijen is the only Canadian noted and is in the company of a bodybuilder, swimmer, rifleperson, and basketball, football and volleyball players.

"Peter is one of Trent's finest athletes and this recognition is well deserved and really quite exciting for the University," says Bill Byrick, athletic director.

"It's great to see Peter and the athletes in all of our programs improve and excel. I am quite excited about the future of Trent Varsity Athletics. What we are seeing is a combination of dedicated and talented athletes, great coaching and leadership, combined with strong partnerships with local community sport organizations."

Mr. Van Rooijen, a Brockville native who started rowing in Grade 10, was nominated as a candidate for "Faces in the Crowd" by Steve Hoggett, Trent's sports information officer, who says this rower is truly representative of the spirit of the Trent varsity athletics program.

"It was exciting to be recognized in Sports Illustrated," says Mr. Van Rooijen. "It shows the commitment that Trent has to its athletes; from Carol Love, my coach, all the way up to the athletic director Bill Byrick. And, of course, Steve Hoggett, who is instrumental in getting Trent's name out there."

Mr. Van Rooijen had a successful fall, earning bronze medals in the single and in the eight at the Canadian University Championships and first in the single and fourth in the eight at the Ontario University Championships. He won both divisions at two regattas in London, two regattas in Ottawa, and first in the single and second in the eight at Head of the Trent.

He was named the Athlete of the Week by the Ontario University Athletic Association for the week of September 29 to October 5, 2004. This is the first time in the history of Trent University that an athlete has gone on to receive the top honour in the OUA.

This past summer he won the gold medal as part of the men's eight at the Under 23 Rowing World Championships in Belgrade, Yugoslavia after training in Victoria, BC. He is planning to try out for the under 23 Canadian team once again, this spring.

After graduation, he may look to the Olympics or to the skies, or both. Mr. Van Rooijen has hopes of becoming a commercial pilot.

He credits much of his success to Ms. Love, Trent's head rowing coach, who helped attract him to Trent and who was the first to teach him to scull.

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For further information, please contact:

Peter Van Rooijen, 740-0777

Carol Love, Head Rowing Coach, Trent University, 876-1085

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Last Updated January 29, 2004