ONE of New Zealand's most successful sports coaches will receive an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Waikato.
Expat Wanganui rowing coach Richard "Dick" Tonks, MNZM, will receive his Honorary Doctorate at the University graduation ceremony at Claudelands on April 15.
Tonks coached New Zealand crews at the 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympics and has been hugely influential on some of our best rowers, including Philippa Baker, Brenda Lawson, Rob Waddell, Hamish Bond, Eric Murray, Mahe Drysdale, and Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell.
He has won five Halberg Awards for Coach of the Year and was voted International Rowing Federation Coach of the Year and World Rowing Coach of the Year in 2005, 2010 and 2012.
Rowers under his guidance have won about 30 Olympic and World Championship medals since 2004.