Darren Barber

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameDarren•Barber
Used nameDarren•Barber
Born26 December 1968 in Victoria, British Columbia (CAN)
Measurements193 cm / 98 kg
AffiliationsVictoria Vikes, Victoria (CAN)
NOC Canada
Medals OG
Gold 1
Silver 0
Bronze 0
Total 1

Biography

Darren Barber, the grandson of Olympian and hockey legend Syl Apps, won his first major international medal in rowing, bronze, in the coxless fours event at the 1986 Junior World Championships. After a tenth-place finish in the coxed fours at the 1989 Senior World Championships, he began competing in the eights and won silver medals at the 1990 and 1991 editions, alongside Bruce Robertson, Andy Crosby, Robert Marland, Terry Paul, Derek Porter, Michael Rascher, and John Wallace (with Brian Saunderson and Don Telfer respectively as the ninth man). Telfer was replaced by Michael Forgeron for the 1992 Summer Olympics, where the crew won the gold medal and set an Olympic record. He then teamed up with Phil Graham to compete in coxless pairs events, coming in fourth at the 1994 World Championships. The duo then joined with Greg Stevenson and the non-Olympian Bradshaw Crombie to finish thirteenth in the coxless fours at the 1995 edition, before Barber, Graham, and Stevenson were added to Canada’s eights crew for the 1996 Summer Olympics, alongside Crosby, Henry Hering, Mark Platt, Scott Brodie, Adam Parfitt, and Pat Newman. They finished fourth in the tournament and Barber retired soon after to complete his medical training. He staged a comeback in 2003, hoping to qualify for the 2004 Summer Olympics, but became embroiled in the politics surrounding national team coach Mike Spracklen. After two World Cup victories in the eights in 2004, Barber returned to retirement and, as of 2013, works as a physician in Alberta, Canada. He was made a member of the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1994.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1992 Summer Olympics Rowing CAN Darren Barber
Eights, Men (Olympic) Canada 1 Gold
1996 Summer Olympics Rowing CAN Darren Barber
Eights, Men (Olympic) Canada 4

Olympic family relations

Special Notes