An Oxford University college sees two of its students win medals at the same Olympics for the first time in its history - and they both are gold.

Oriel College students Liam Corrigan and Charlie Elwes won rowing gold at the Paris Olympics 2024 to create history at their university college.

Corrigan won rowing gold for the USA in the men’s coxless four finishing in a time of 5:49:03 to place top of the podium with  New Zealand in silver and Team GB  taking bronze.

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Team GB’s four rowers; Oli Wilkes, David Ambler, Matt Aldridge and Freddie Davidson are part of all members of the Oxford Brookes University Boat Club (OBUBC). 

Ambler attends Jesus College at Oxford University, which overall had four medallists at this year’s Olympics, with the other being Roman Roosli of St Peter’s College picking up bronze for Switzerland in the rowing pair.

(Image: John Walton)

In the rowing’s eight, Team GB picked up the gold with Elwes being a student at Oriel College as well as also being a member of the OBUBC.

The British eight finished in a time of 5:22:88 - just over a second ahead of their Dutch rivals, triggering emotional scenes among the crew with the USA finishing third.

(Image: Peter Byrne)

This was the fifth successive Olympics in which Team GB’s Men’s Eights finished in the top three. 

Another Oriel college competed in the race with New Zealander placing fifth.

It is the first time on record that Oriel College has had two medal winners at the same Olympic Games.

Provost of Oriel College, Lord Neil Mendoza said: “I extend my congratulations on behalf of our entire college community to Liam Corrigan and Charlie Elwes on winning gold medals at the Paris Olympics.

"We are very proud of both athletes.

“If Oriel were a country we would currently rank 30th in the world on the Olympic medal table.(Image: PA)

“We look forward to recognising the full range of sporting achievements by members of our community when we celebrate our 700th anniversary in 2026.”

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The college is set to home another rowing gold medallist next year as Tom Mackintosh, from New Zealand, will join Oriel in October 2025.

Mackintosh, who will be undertaking the Masters of Business Administration (MBA) programme at the Saïd Business School, won gold with the men’s eight at Tokyo 2020

He came in fifth place in the men’s single sculls at Paris 2024.

Two other current Oxford University students also competed in this year’s Olympics, all again being in the rowing.

Italian Nick Kohl of Wolfson College finished fourth in the coxless four while Jack Roberston, who attends Green Templeton College, placed sixth for Australia in the same race.

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About the author

Rob is a digital reporter who covers a wide range of topics.

He joined the Oxford Mail in February 2023 having previously been at sister paper The Bucks Free Press for two years. 

Rob completed a Sports Journalism degree before earning his NCTJ Diploma at Darlington College and can be found on X at @RobertFolker.