Vital stats
Age: 26
Height/weight: 6-1, 180
Lives in: Ringoes, N.J.
Today’s event
He competes in the U.S. men’s eight-man rowing team on NBC between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Day job
He’s an emergency medical technician, firefighter and chief of his hometown rescue squad (Amwell Valley Rescue).
Olympic experience
This is his first Olympics.
Background
The Temple University graduate made his first world championships in 2001 and later won U.S. Rowing’s Man of the Year Award, leading to a nomination for the Sullivan Award as America’s top amateur athlete.
Early days
He says he became interested in emergency response when he was 11 years old and got a police scanner.
Check it out
At www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/911/rescuesquads.htm, you can send Chief Read an e-mail.
Did you know?
During the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, his squad set up a field hospital in New Jersey, then went to Ground Zero to help the New York Fire Department chiefs.
Post-Olympic star potential
Rowing isn’t a major sport, but his 9/11 story will be told.
Star power: 4 out of 10.
In the booth Men’s rowing broadcasters
Randy Rosenbloom: Announcer for the Los Angeles Sparks and Fresno State football and hoops.
Yasmin Farooq: The coxswain of the U.S. women’s eight from 1989 to 1996, now an account executive.
2000 medalists
Gold: Britain
Silver: Australia
Bronze: Croatia
