Riley Fitzsimmons - Olympic Medal Winner
Riley Fitzsimmons
Riley Fitzsimmons grew up at Avoca Beach. He was exposed to many sports as a youngster – soccer, basketball, Nippers and, later on, touch football, rugby league and water polo. His love of water led him to follow Nippers through from a five-year-old to senior competition at the Avoca Beach Surf Club and it became a natural fit from Surf Ski Paddling to Kayak Paddling.
Riley was first introduced to Kayaking, through a high school program at about the age of 16. He tried ‘wild water’ kayaking down the Nymboida River, as well as ‘flat water’ sprint kayaking. After attending a sprint competition at the Penrith Regatta Centre, he decided the flat water was something he’d like to pursue.
The Olympic Dream started around 2013, when he drew up a chart made up of his Olympic Heroes, the 2012 Australian K4 Gold medallists from the London Olympics. He surrounded their pictures with positive affirmations and goal setting for himself.
His first trip overseas in the Junior Australian Kayak Team, was to race K4 in Welland, Canada 2013. K4 is a four-person kayak, which requires strength as well as the extra demands of coordination and teamwork. The team finished 4th. From that point, Riley fell in love with racing and the medals flowed.
As Riley’s racing took off, as he dedicated himself to training harder and learning more. He was subsequently selected in the U23 Australian Kayaking Team, winning a World Championship in the K2 Boat in Portugal 2014. At age 18 he was selected in his first Australian Open Kayak Team, which led to becoming an Olympian in the men’s K4 boat at the Rio Olympics 2016.
Competitive Kayaking involves travelling to many Eastern European Countries. Europe is the stronghold of competitive kayaking and here Riley gained valuable experience, competing in World Cups & World Championships throughout each year. Here he as a part of the Australian team Riley has reaped the rewards of hard work and dedication, either winning or placing in team boats from 2013-2024.
Sacrifices had to be made to achieve his goals. Deciding to dedicate himself to the sport meant he needed to move from Avoca Beach to the Gold Coast, to train at the A.I.S. Kayaking Facility at Varsity Lakes. This move meant he had to relinquish his NSW Carpentry Apprenticeship, start a new QLD TAFE Course and find a new employer who would allow him to spend four months out of every year competing overseas.
Riley’s medals and his No. 1 support crew (l to r) sister Holly, dad Bruce, Riley, mum Julie, and then-fiancée Georgia
His hard work and single-minded focus on goals was rewarded with selection in three Olympic Teams (Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, & Paris 2024). His best results finally came at the Paris Olympics with a silver medal in the K4 Men’s 500m.
The relatively new crew of Fitzsimmons, Van der Westhuyzen, Collins and Havard set a new Olympic Record (Best Time) for this event, in their semi-final at Paris, which will stand for the next four years. Another interesting statistic is that this boat had the youngest K4 crew in the Olympic Regatta, with an average age of 24. They were also only the third Australian K4 Boat to win a medal at the Olympics since 1956.
Riley has always enjoyed the collective support of many followers in both Avoca Beach and the wider Surf Lifesaving Community. His immediate support crew have followed him through Europe over the years, being there for the good times and the not so good.
Celebrations for Riley have continued after the Olympics, with something just as precious. It was a very special occasion on the recent long weekend when Riley and his girlfriend Georgia Miller were married. Georgia is a top line athlete herself, being the nation’s number one Iron Woman in surf lifesaving. Now that’s a power couple!
Riley and Georgia on their wedding day
So, will Riley push on for a fourth Olympics? We will have to wait and see!