Career

Born in Cheltenham, Purchase started rowing in 1999 whilst a pupil at the King"s School, Worcester. Purchase married long term partner Felicity Purchase-Hill (née Hill), also a former pupil and rower at the King"s School, Worcester, shortly after the 2012 Summer Olympics at Street Paul"s Cathedral in London. The wedding was covered by Hello and published in Issue 1242 on 10 September 2012.

Purchase competed at the Junior World Rowing Championships in 2003 and 2004.

In 2005 he competed on the World Cup circuit in the lightweight men"s single sculls, finishing fourth at Dorney Lake and second at Munich-Oberschleissheim. In 2007 he partnered Mark Hunter in the Great Britain Lightweight Men"s Double Scull.

They medalled at each World Cup Regatta through the season. The following year, their double dominated the lightweight event, winning all of their races, and finishing the season as Olympic champions in Beijing, setting a new Olympic Record.

Olympics 2012 London – Silver, Lightweight Double Scull (bow) World Championships World Cups World Under 23 Championships Great Britain Rowing Team Senior Trails.

Achievements

• 2012 London – Silver, Lightweight Double Scull (bow) 2008 Beijing – Gold, Lightweight Double Scull (bow) 2011 Bled – Gold, Lightweight Double Scull (bow) with Mark Hunter 2010 Lake Karapiro – Gold, Lightweight Double Scull (bow) 2007 Munich – Bronze, Lightweight Double Scull (bow) 2006 Eton – Gold, Lightweight Single Scull 2005 Gifu – Silver, Lightweight Single Scull 2005 Amsterdam – Gold, Lightweight Single Scull (U23 World Championships) 2012 Belgrade - Gold, Lightweight Double Scull (bow) 2010 Bled - Gold, Lightweight Single Scull 2008 Poznań – Gold, Lightweight Double Scull (bow) 2008 Lucerne – Gold, Lightweight Double Scull (bow) 2008 Munich – Gold, Lightweight Double Scull (bow) 2007 Lucerne – Bronze, Lightweight Double Scull (bow) 2007 Amsterdam – Silver, Lightweight Double Scull (bow) 2007 Linz – Silver, Lightweight Double Scull (bow) 2006 Lucerne – Gold, Lightweight Single Scull 2005 Munich – Silver, Lightweight Single Scull 2005 Eton – 4th, Lightweight Single Scull 2005 Amsterdam - Gold, Lightweight Single Scull 2011 - 1st, Lightweight Single Scull 2010 - 1st, Lightweight Single Scull 2007 - 1st, Lightweight Single Scull.

Membership

Purchase was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (Administration Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2009 New Year Honours for services to sport and collected his award in June of that year.