Josh Bugajski

MSc Oncology 2014
GB Rower

Awesome oarsman Josh Bugajski only took up rowing when he was 20. In just eight years he has broken records, competed in two Boat Races for Oxford (victorious in the second) and as part of the GB Rowing Team, and scooped a gold medal in the recent World Rowing Cup III.

Josh grew up on the edge of a rough Stockport council estate and was bullied at school. In his words, the only privilege he and his brother had was having an amazing mother, Pat, who single-handedly raised the two boys. She has battled cancer—her second diagnosis in 2015 coming just as Josh arrived at Oxford to study for his Master’s in oncology.

It was whilst he was studying pharmacy at Cardiff University that he discovered his natural prowess for rowing and he was picked for the Welsh team and began breaking indoor rowing records. At Oxford he juggled gruelling training sessions with long hours of research in the labs.

Josh has won at Henley Royal Regatta in a composite crew with Oxford Brookes Boat Club and he made his GB Rowing team debut in 2018, winning a silver medal in the men’s eight in his first race. He is now a member of the GB Senior rowing squad based at Caversham. In July, the men’s eight won gold for the first time since Rio 2016.

He regards rowing as a great equalizer and says it doesn’t matter what your background is or how wealthy you are, it’s how fast you can be in the boat.

“I look back on my time at Keble with great fondness. Oxford can be an intimidating place to the outsider, but Keble is very mindful of its inclusivity. I was surprised with how welcoming and supportive both the staff and students at the College were, from start to finish—without such support I would never have been able to pursue my rowing career whilst studying and pursue my dream of Olympic gold.”