Harvard student and Brophy graduate, Ian O’Riley ’24, rowed for Team USA in the World Rowing under 19 Championships last summer and secured a 10th place finish.

In his senior year at Brophy, O’Riley won the USRowing Youth National Championships in the men’s single in Sarasota, Fla.

O’Riley was introduced to rowing his freshman year. He said, “I stuck with it and those first few weeks were pretty tough. But I think that the community is what is so valuable,” and “community lets you do really whatever you want.” In the case of O’Riley that was becoming a national champion and placing 10th in the world in the u19 single.

Last summer, O’Riley represented America in the men’s single at the World Championships. Which is a pretty big accomplishment. O’Riley said it’s an honor to row for the US, “and it’s personally just really fun for me because I get to race and say I went and competed with literally the top rowers in the world.”

In contrast to the other races he has competed at before O’Riley said “[the European rowers] have a pretty deep history together. And you’re coming in as a kind of dark horse from the US. So I would say it’s really fun having the experience to race at that level.”

Currently studying applied math and physics along with rowing at Harvard, O’Riley said “I’m really excited for it, Harvard right now is the best lightweight program in the US. And I mean, my excitement is to not let that change.” 

“It’s really nice to be pushed, but also to push and keep guys getting better, keep improving,” O’Riley said.