At the Rowing Presentation Evening, Old Collegian Tom Foley (SPC 2017-22) returned to the College to reflect on a journey that has taken him from an unsteady first stroke to the world stage. Speaking with Head Coach David O’Doherty, Tom shared honest insights into setbacks, hard work and the moments that shaped his career.
Q: Tom, how did your rowing journey begin?
Tom: Pretty humbly, to be honest. Mum put me in a single scull for my first session and I had no idea what I was doing. I was about 15 or 20 metres from the bank, taking maybe four strokes in 45 minutes, nearly tipping the whole time—and then I did fall in.
But I kept at it. I did a few weeks leading into that Year 10 season just to get a head start, and then I remember being named in the A crew for the first session. I couldn’t believe it—I thought it was one of the coolest things ever.
That season progressed pretty quickly. We had some good wins early, and then I remember at Hamilton we got jumped badly at the start and realised it’s a lot harder chasing than leading. We got lucky and still won, but that was a good lesson—get out in front and stay there.
Q: The 2020 Nationals were cancelled. What was that period like for you?
Tom: It was pretty bizarre. We were two weeks out, thinking we were a real chance, and then it just got taken away. I didn’t really think COVID would affect us like that.
In the off-season, I was probably sitting around sixth or seventh in the rankings, so it was a case of, “How do I move up?” I remember counting down the days until the next term—there were about 97—and just trying to do something every day.
Living close to Austin Reiner helped a lot. We trained together pretty much every day—ergs, gym, sometimes even doubling up sessions. I felt like I had to prove myself to the older boys and the coaches, so anything extra I could do, I did.
Q: That led into a successful 2021 season and a National Championship. What did you take from that experience?
Tom: It was awesome. I finally got that taste of Nationals that we missed the year before—the standard, the atmosphere, everything around it.
We didn’t get everything right. In the Under 19 Coxed Four, we had to come through the repechage after finishing fourth in the heat, but that actually helped. We fixed what we got wrong and then performed when it mattered.
Winning the Schoolboys Coxed Four was pretty special. That whole season, and that crew, is something we still talk about now.
Q: How did those lessons carry into your pathway beyond school, including Australian selection?
Tom: There were definitely setbacks. COVID hit again, we missed another Nationals, and there were a few moments where it would have been easy to get frustrated.
But then I got a call from a coach in Melbourne asking if I wanted to come fill a seat in an eight for trials. I hadn’t really thought about Australian selection at that point—I was just focused on school rowing.
I went down, ended up staying in the crew, and then suddenly I’m filling out forms thinking, “I don’t even have a passport.” A couple of weeks later, I’m telling Mum I need one because we’re going to Italy. That whole transition happened pretty quickly.
Q: What is it like stepping into an international campaign?
Tom: It’s interesting—at the end of the day, it’s still just another race. You line up, there are a few other crews next to you, and you’ve got 2,000 metres to race.
The big thing for me was consistency. I set a goal not to miss a session, which is harder than it sounds with the volume we’re doing—200km a week, plus gym and everything else.
By the time I got overseas, I had confidence knowing I’d done the work.
Q: You had a setback with illness just before the World Championships. How did you deal with that?
Tom: Yeah, that wasn’t great timing. I got pretty sick, lost about eight kilos in a few days, and spent a few days in isolation while the rest of the crew was training.
It was a bit overwhelming, but the coach just kept reminding me that I’d done enough work leading in. Missing a few days wasn’t going to undo everything.
That’s where the consistency helps—you’ve got those kilometres in the bank.
Q: What advice would you give to the current boys?
Tom: Have confidence in your ability. I probably lacked that a bit when I was at school. But if you genuinely believe in what you’re doing, it gives you an advantage straight away—before you even get on the water.
Q: What stands out as a highlight from your rowing career so far?
Tom: Winning the King’s Cup with Victoria last year was pretty special. You’re racing with Olympians, and I was one of the youngest guys in the boat. I remember going to sleep the night before just thinking, “Don’t mess it up.”
We ended up winning, which was awesome.
Another one would be the Under 21 Pair at Nationals in 2024. We’d just missed Under 23 selection, came through fourth in the heat and semi, and were in the outside lane for the final against a crew that hadn’t lost in years.
About halfway through, I remember saying, “We can win this,” and we did. That was a pretty special moment—just backing ourselves and getting it done.
As Tom prepares to represent Australia at the 2026 Under 23 World Rowing Championships, support from the St Patrick’s College community will help him continue pursuing his rowing goals on the world stage. If you would like to support, Tom’s campaign, please consider donating via this link. Every contribution is greatly appreciated.
