Drexel, Princeton grads earn gold medals in four-man rowing event at Paris Olympics

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Two Pennsylvania men, making up half of the U.S. four-man crew team, earned gold at the Olympic Games in Paris on Thursday.

Justin Best, 26, is a Drexel University graduate from Kennett Square, Chester County, and Nick Mead, 29, is a Princeton University graduate from Tredyffrin, Montgomery County.

With teammates Liam Corrigan and Michael Grady, they are the first U.S. team to win gold in the men’s four since the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome.

In a message addressed to students and colleagues, Drexel President John Fry praised 2019 graduate Best and his teammates.

"For all of us who cheered Justin as he helped his Dragon crewmates win four Dad Vail Regatta team championships and who have followed his rowing feats since he graduated from Drexel, the pride and joy of seeing Justin and his teammates draped in their gold medals as our national anthem played will last a lifetime," Fry wrote.

All four of American rowers were at the Olympic Games in Tokyo three years ago but left without any medals.

They have rowed together since last season, winning silver at the World Rowing Championship regatta last year and gold at the World Rowing Cup in Lucerne, Switzerland, earlier this year.