15 Facts About Zac Purchase

Zac Purchase has won three gold, one silver and a bronze at the World Rowing Championships.

Zac Purchase was born in Cheltenham to Nicholas Zac Purchase and Sara Holyer on 2 May 1986.

Originally a competitive swimmer, Zac Purchase started rowing in 1999 whilst a pupil at the King's School, Worcester.

In 2002, Zac Purchase won his first international medals, a gold and silver at the Coupe de la Jeunesse and competed at the World Rowing Junior Championships the following two years.

In 2003, aged 17, Zac Purchase won the Fawley Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta.

In 2005, Zac Purchase competed at the World Rowing U23 Championships in Amsterdam where he won a gold medal.

Zac Purchase entered the Senior World Rowing Championships three weeks later and won a silver medal.

Zac Purchase achieved a bronze medal with Hunter in this category at the 2007 World Rowing Championships in Munich, Germany.

Zac Purchase won another two gold medals at the 2010 and 2011 World Rowing Championships, in New Zealand and Slovenia respectively.

Zac Purchase won his second Olympic medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Since retiring from rowing, Zac Purchase has taken part in a number of public events and TV shows, including Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, Ready Steady Cook, Three Men in a Boat and A Question of Sport.

On 27 November 2008, Zac Purchase officially named an eight rowing boat at The King's School, Worcester in honour of his Olympic Gold Medal win.

Zac Purchase regularly gives motivational speeches and hosts away days for businesses, schools and charities.

Zac Purchase was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2009 New Year Honours for services to sport and collected his award in June of that year.

Zac Purchase married long-term partner Felicity Zac Purchase-Hill, a former pupil and rower at the King's School, Worcester, shortly after the 2012 Summer Olympics at St Paul's Cathedral in London.