Winnetka’s Peter Chatain is bringing home an Olympic medal

Peter Chatain has helped put New Trier boys rowing back on the map — and the podium. 

The Winnetka native secured a historic bronze medal in the U.S. men’s eight boat on Saturday, Aug. 3, in the 2024 Paris Olympics. The medal marks America’s first in the event in 16 years.

The boat made a statement in the preliminary round, finishing first in its heat with a round-best time of 5 minutes 29 seconds. Behind them was Netherlands, at 5:31. Great Britain secured the first-place spot in the second heat at 5:37.

Having clenched first in the prelims, the U.S. and Great Britain did not race in the repechage heat, while the Dutch showed off their power, finishing first in just 5:27. 

Heading into the finals, an intense battle was brewing between the U.S., Netherlands and Great Britain. 

In the finale, the U.S. boat got off to a fast start, but the others quickly gained. By the halfway mark, the Americans had secured their spot in third, while the Netherlands and Britain battled for first. Great Britain’s boat grabbed the lead and held it to win gold with a time of 5:22.

Netherlands finished just a second later, with a time of 5:23 seconds. Chatain and the U.S. boat finished third, with a time of 5:25. 

The U.S. finish made history. Not only did the boat finish 8.26 seconds faster than its fast time at the 2024 World Rowing Final, where they qualified for the Olympics, but they also brought home the first U.S. medal in the event since 2008. 

Chatain began rowing in eighth grade and joined the New Trier boys rowing team as a freshman. The now bronze medalist claims he barely made the team. 

After graduating, Chatain rowed at Stanford University while pursuing his bachelor’s degree in mathematics with a minor in physics. By 2023, he had also received his master’s in computer science from Stanford. 

While not on the water, Chatain is a machine learning engineer at Ello, an AI reading platform. In honor of Chatain’s Olympic run, they released a children’s book titled Peter’s Big Race.

Chatain joins several North Shore Olympic medalists and just a few New Trier graduates to medal. According to New Trier’s Director of Communications Niki Dizon, before Chatain, the school had counted six Olympic medalists who once graced New Trier’s hallways. They produced three gold, three silver and two bronze medals across wrestling, basketball, swimming, hockey and gymnastics. 

The Wilmette Historical Society recently promoted an article on Bobby Skelton, a seventh local Olympian. At just 21 years old, he won gold for swimming in the 1924 Olympics, which were also held in Paris. 

Chatain also joined two other Trevians in Paris. Grace Joyce of Northfield raced for Team USA in the women’s quadruple sculls boat, finishing ninth. Maggie Shea represented the U.S. in the women’s skiff boat for sailing, finishing in 10th. 

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