49erIan Barrows

Ian Barrows is a Paris 2024 Olympian, Bronze Medalist in the 49er, and current US Sailing Team athlete. He grew up in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, where he began his sailing career in Optis. Quickly, he acquired a passion for the sport and transitioned to larger dinghies — 420s, Lasers, and Bytes. He competed nationally in high school competitions and internationally on the youth sailing stage. These experiences led him to several career youth highlights, including a gold medal in the Byte class at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, numerous National Championships—the 2014 and 2015 FJ and 420 National Championships, and 2014, 2015, 2016 420 and FJ Team Racing National Championships, 2nd in the 2010 Byte World Championship, and a 2nd in the 2008 Opti World Championship.

Ian graduated from Yale in 2017 with a degree in Economics. While sailing at Yale, the team won eight National Championships. Ian was a four-time collegiate All-American and was the College Sailor of the Year in 2017.

After college, Ian shifted his attention to an Olympic campaign. Ian is inspired by his brother, Thomas, who competed in two Olympic Games (2008 and 2016) and coached the Men’s 470 team at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Like his brother, Ian sails the 49er and initially teamed up with Mitchell Kiss to qualify for the 2020 Olympics. The two narrowly missed qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Games, finishing second at the United States Olympic Trials. 

For the Paris 2024 Olympics, Ian teamed up with Hans Henken and went on to win a bronze medal in the 49er at their debut Olympic appearances; the first medal for Team USA in sailing since Rio 2016 and the first medal in the 49er since Sydney 2000.