Olympic Games Gold Medalist Athlete. He teamed to capture the top prize in double sculls at the 1948 Summer Olympic Games in London, England. Raised in Henley, he attended Henley Grammar School, then was apprenticed to an engineering firm. (Already interested in rowing, he feared that his amateur status would be endangered if he worked in his family's boat business). During WWII, he held a reserved occupation assembling motor torpedo boats; when England hosted the first post-war Summer Olympics, Bushnell was disappointed not to be chosen for one of the single rowing events, but was picked (about 6 weeks before the completion) to pair with Dickie Burnell in the double sculls. The duo deliberately lost to France in the first round to avoid facing favored Denmark before the finals; they won the next rounds easily, then defeated the Danes by two lengths for the Gold, one of only three that England was to garner in the games. (After winning, Bushnell had one dinner date with teenage sister of an American rower, the future Princess of Monaco Grace Kelly). He retired from competitive rowing in 1951, ran a successful cruiser for hire business for many years, then lived in Portugal. Bushnell returned to Henley for his final 20 years, and was an honorary life member of the Leander Club. His Gold Medal is on public display at the Rowing Museum in Henley.
Olympic Games Gold Medalist Athlete. He teamed to capture the top prize in double sculls at the 1948 Summer Olympic Games in London, England. Raised in Henley, he attended Henley Grammar School, then was apprenticed to an engineering firm. (Already interested in rowing, he feared that his amateur status would be endangered if he worked in his family's boat business). During WWII, he held a reserved occupation assembling motor torpedo boats; when England hosted the first post-war Summer Olympics, Bushnell was disappointed not to be chosen for one of the single rowing events, but was picked (about 6 weeks before the completion) to pair with Dickie Burnell in the double sculls. The duo deliberately lost to France in the first round to avoid facing favored Denmark before the finals; they won the next rounds easily, then defeated the Danes by two lengths for the Gold, one of only three that England was to garner in the games. (After winning, Bushnell had one dinner date with teenage sister of an American rower, the future Princess of Monaco Grace Kelly). He retired from competitive rowing in 1951, ran a successful cruiser for hire business for many years, then lived in Portugal. Bushnell returned to Henley for his final 20 years, and was an honorary life member of the Leander Club. His Gold Medal is on public display at the Rowing Museum in Henley.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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