Abbagnale to get top rowing award
 The
2006 Thomas Keller Medal for an "outstanding career in
rowing" will be awarded to Agostino Abbagnale from Italy,
one of the famous three Italian brothers who reigned over
rowing throughout the 1980’s and 90’s.
The youngest of the three brothers, and most successful in
sculling, Agostino won three Olympic Gold medals (Seoul 1988,
Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000) and has two World Championship
titles in the quadruple sculls from 1997 and 1998.
His recurring battle against thrombophlebitis (the inflammation
of a vein with the formation of a blood clot) forced him out
of the sport for five years after winning his first Olympic
title in 1988. Overcoming these significant health problems
make his achievements all the more remarkable. The disease
finally forced him to retire shortly before his attempt to
win gold medal number four at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.
The "Tommy" has been established as the highest
honour in the sport of rowing and is presented to recognise
an exceptional rowing career as well as exemplary sportsmanship.
Named after the late President of FISA, the first medal was
first awarded to the great Norwegian oarsman Alf Hansen in
1990 and has already been won by Agostino’s brothers
Giuseppe and Carmine in 1997 which makes this the first time
that three brothers have won this award.
The 18-carat gold Thomas Keller Medal will be presented to
Abbagnale by Dominik Keller, son of the late Thomas Keller,
on Sunday 9 July 2006, just before the start of the afternoon
finals at the Rowing World Cup final regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland.
 Previous
recipients of the Thomas Keller Medal are:
1990 Alf Hansen (NOR)
1991 Thomas Greiner (GER)
1994 Yuri Pimenov (RUS)
1996 Francesco Esposito (ITA)
1996 Nikolai Pimenov (RUS)
1996 Rolf Thorsen (NOR)
1997 Giuseppe Abbagnale (ITA)
1997 Carmine Abbagnale (ITA)
1997 Jana Sorgers (GER)
1997 Thomas Lange (GER)
1998 Kerstin Koeppen (GER)
1998 Roland Baar (GER)
1999 Silken Laumann (CAN)
1999 Kathleen Heddle (CAN)
2001 Steve Redgrave (GBR)
2002 Marnie McBean (CAN)
2003 Peter Antonie (AUS)
2004 Nico Rienks (NED)
2005 Matthew Pinsent (GBR)
2006 Agostino Abbagnale (ITA)
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