Wallace Announced as Final Inductee of 2023 Row Ontario Hall of Fame Class
One of Canada’s most prolific rowers throughout the late 1980’s and early 1990’s was honoured on Friday as Row Ontario announced John Wallace as the final inductee of the 2023 Row Ontario Hall of Fame class.
Wallace got his start in rowing as a novice while attending Western University in 1982, and after graduating continued at the Leander Boat Club near his hometown of Burlington, ON. A few short years later he was a national team member who would go on to compete in two Olympic Games and earn multiple World Rowing Championship medals.
“I am truly honoured to be inducted into the Row Ontario Hall of Fame,” said Wallace. “While it’s been over 30 years since I last rowed in Ontario it feels like it was just yesterday. From very early morning training sessions in the cold and dark on Fanshawe Lake to the often-rough water evening sessions on Hamilton Harbour to the long hot, humid summer workouts with the National Team on Martindale Pond, they all bring back great memories. My rowing journey would not have been possible without encouragement and support of so many individuals. I owe a tremendous amount to coaches like “Doc” Fitz-James, Jim Roche and Fred Loek who generously volunteered so much of their time to coach the crews I was part of and to athletes like Bob Blunt, Andy Crosby and Mel Laforme, some of the many athletes who challenged and motivated me. Most of all, the biggest thank you goes to my parents. I could not have achieved what I did without their patience, guidance and unwavering support.”
Before turning his attention to rowing, Wallace participated in numerous sports growing up in Burlington and excelled in cross country, track & field and basketball while attending Aldershot High School. In the first few years of his rowing career, Wallace was fortunate to be coached by two experienced and knowledgeable coaches in Doc Fitz-James (Western) and Jim Roche (Leander). Under their tutelage he progressed quickly in the sport, and by 1985 had earned a place on the Canadian National Team.
Wallace became a mainstay on the National Team for the next seven years and would compete in two Olympic Games, five World Rowing Championships and the 1986 Commonwealth Games during that time. He primarily raced in eights and fours during his time on the National Team, and qualified for his first Olympics in 1988, where he helped the men’s eight to a sixth-place finish. After taking a year off from international competition, he returned in 1990 and earned his first World Rowing Championship medal, a silver in the men’s eight in Tasmania, Australia. His eight’s crew repeated the silver feat the following year, placing second in the 1991 World Rowing Championships in Vienna, Austria. Wallace reached the pinnacle of the sport one year later at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, where he helped the men’s eight earn the gold medal by just 0.14 seconds over Romania – the closest rowing final in Olympic history.
Following the 1992 Olympics Wallace retired from rowing but stayed active in the sport as a volunteer as well as a coach. He coached at both middle and high schools in Victoria, where he has called home for over 30 years, and was the Vice-President of Rowing BC from 1996 to 2000. Also, during this same period, John volunteered as Executive Director of Foundation 2000 Plus (currently called GO Rowing and Paddling), a not-for-profit organization that promotes rowing and paddling sports across Canada.
Wallace’s rowing career has previously been recognized with inductions into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame (1994), Burlington Sports Hall of Fame (2013) and Canadian Rowing Hall of Fame (2017).
In addition to Wallace, the full 2023 Row Ontario Hall of Fame induction class includes Nancy Storrs (Coach/Builder), Lynda Dundas (Builder), Thomas R. Loudon (Builder – Heritage), the 1952 Argonaut Eight (Crew), Jack Guest (Athlete – Heritage) and Wendy Wiebe (Athlete).
