8 May 2014

New Zealand rowers up for prestigious award

7:29 am on 8 May 2014

New Zealand's double Olympic medallists Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell have been nominated for rowing's most prestigious award, the Thomas Keller Medal.

The twins have been shortlisted alongside Slovenia's Iztok Cop, Australian Drew Ginn and Britain's Katherine Grainger.

This award is in recognition of an exceptional international rowing career, the "type" of career, technical mastery of the sport, sportsmanship and the "legendary" aspect of the athlete, according to the sport's world governing body FISA.

The winner will be announced in early July, with the award to be presented at the Rowing World Cup in Lucerne, Switzerland.

The winner will receive an 18-carat gold medal.

The Evers-Swindell's retired in 2008 as two-time Olympic Champions after 15 years in the sport.

At the 2008 Beijing Games they became the first athletes in the history to successfully defend the women's double sculls title.

Their success began in 2002 with a World Champion title and the twins' impact on rowing was recognised when they were awarded the Athlete of the Decade at the 2010 New Zealand's sports awards.