Navy officer Edward King just took 10th place in Rio Olympic rowing finals

Apr 2, 2018 9:42 AM PDT

1 minute read

SUMMARY

Navy officer Edward King and the rest of America’s Lightweight Men’s Four Rowing Team came in 10th in the Rio Olympics on Aug. 11. King is a

Navy officer Edward King and the rest of America's Lightweight Men's Four Rowing Team came in 10th in the Rio Olympics on Aug. 11.

King is a native of South Africa and a 2011 graduate of the Naval Academy. The school introduced him to rowing during his freshman year.

He had previously competed in cross country, tennis, basketball, and track. After academy graduation, he attended and graduated the Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL course. He attended a few months of advanced training but was reassigned to the Navy's information dominance community.

Navy officer Edward King, right, speaks to reporters with his pairs partner on the U.S. Rowing Team, Robin Prendes. Prendes also competed on the Lightweight Men's Four Team for Team USA. (Image: YouTube/US Rowing)

King was granted an extended leave of absence to concentrate on rowing and prepare for the Olympics in 2015.

The rowing team came in 10th in the world with a final time of 6:36.93, approximately 16 seconds behind the gold medal winners from Switzerland.

A U.S. Naval Academy rowing team stays ahead of Harvard and Penn State during a 2014 competition. Olympian Edward King competed on the team until his 2011 graduation from the academy. (Image: YouTube/CommunityOrganizer1)

The Lightweight Men's Four was King's only Olympic event, but Marine Corps 2nd Lt. David Higgins, Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael McPhail, and Sgt. 1st Class Nathan Sanderson will compete in shooting events Aug. 12, while Naval Academy Cadet Regine Tugade will race in the 100-meter dash.

On Aug. 13, Air Force 1st Lt. Cale Simmons and Army 2nd Lt. Sam Kendricks will compete in the pole vault. Army specialists Shadrack Kipchirchir and Leonard Korir will compete against one another in the 10,000-meter race.