Where Are They Now? Aquil Abdullah
12/23/2020 12:00:00 PM | Men's Rowing, My GW: Celebrating our Stories
Hall of Fame rower was voted #RaiseHighMadness All-Time Edition champion
Over three weeks this fall, pioneering Olympic rower Aquil Abdullah defeated top moments from GW men's water polo, women's swimming and diving, gymnastics and softball in head-to-head social media voting en route to the #RaiseHighMadness All-Time Edition title.
Watching the tournament honoring the Buff and Blue's best and brightest unfold from his home in Ipswich, Mass., amid the COVID-19 global pandemic was equal parts exciting and humbling for Abdullah, who represented men's rowing from 1992-96 before making history as the first Black man to compete in Olympic rowing at the 2004 Athens Games.
"It just goes to show the richness and importance of athletics at GW and how it shaped and molded so many of our alumni," said Abdullah, who emerged from a decorated field of 32 individuals, teams and moments after more than 14,000 total votes were cast. "Not only those that participated as student-athletes but those who came to big games, came to the regattas, came to the matches, they were all part of it. I think that there's something to be said that we can bring our community back together for something like this."
On his well-documented Olympic journey, Abdullah exemplified the GW Athletics values of Determination, Commitment and Respect. His achievements at the highest levels of his sport included a national title, a Henley Royal Regatta Diamond Sculls win and a Pan American Games silver medal, in addition to his sixth-place finish in doubles sculls at the 2004 Olympics.
Today, Abdullah remains active in the national rowing community, both as an advocate for growing the sport and through his career as a software engineer and featured instructor with Hydrow, the immersive at-home rowing machine whose popularity continues to grow.
"I think that rowing at George Washington University was foundational in me becoming the person that I am," said Abdullah, who was inducted into the GW Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008. "The people that I met at the university from my teammates, to my coaches to the administration, the way they all helped me as I found my way was an example for how I could be a guiding star for those around me. When I think of what it means to Raise High the Buff and Blue, it's setting high standards for yourself and bringing everyone along with you and being that guiding star."
A D.C. native, Abdullah didn't start rowing until his senior year at Wilson High School, but he showed enough promise to earn an offer to join the Buff and Blue.
In choosing to row at GW over several offers to play college football, he got to experience his hometown through a new lens. His top off-the-water memories included a pair of presidential inaugurations and the chance to play his saxophone alongside the legendary Tito Puente.
"There were just so many things that I got to see and do being there in the nation's capital," Abdullah said. "It's one thing to grow up there, but I think going to GW, I also got to see D.C. through the eyes of my teammates and friends who didn't grow up in D.C. and wanted to do stuff that I had done as a kid but maybe hadn't done in a while. It really sort of rekindled that love of being in D.C. for me."
Abdullah's excellence helped the Buff and Blue improve over his time in Foggy Bottom, highlighted by a breakthrough team title at the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championship in his senior season.
Under the direction of coach John Devlin, Abdullah's experience – from winter workouts in the basement of the Geology Department to taking on the famed Exorcist steps in Georgetown to hill runs at Battery Kemble Park – offered lessons that would prove useful as his career progressed.
"It was hard, and we faced challenges and we faced adversity, but I always had teammates there to push me," said Abdullah, who was selected to participate in his first U.S. Olympic Festival while still a member of the Buff and Blue. "I think what I learned was that you can't get there alone. You have to have a support system to help you."
Devlin continued to be a trusted mentor throughout Abdullah's international career. The coach who is memorialized with his name on GW's Varsity 8 boat was there to offer support when Abdullah missed out on the 2000 Olympics by 33-hundredths of a second and there to celebrate four years later when he made history by qualifying for the Athens Games.
"Win or lose throughout my career after college, I could always call him to talk," Abdullah said. "He was there to help support me all the way. A lot of that is the testament to the family that we become."
After such a long and patience-testing road to reach his Olympic dream, Abdullah put his best foot forward in Athens, teaming with Henry Nuzum to become the first American men to qualify for the Olympic final in the event in two decades.
"It's almost like you're holding your breath for a long time, and then you can finally let that breath out," Abdullah said. "There were so many sacrifices that I made along the way in terms of not going to weddings or parties or this or that.
"It was really cool to be able to do that and to be able to share it with everyone who offered their guidance or support through the years. That, to me, was the best part of it."
Since then, Abdullah has been doing what he can to use his platform to help grow the sport.
One way is lending his voice to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at Hydrow, the National Rowing Foundation and A Most Beautiful Thing Fund, which was founded to support the work of Arshay Cooper whose recent memoir of the same name detailed the first all-Black high school rowing team in the country.
"I think there's an important message that rowing has," Abdullah said. "For a long time, there have been people who have seen the sport as elitist, so my message is to try and bring the community outside of the boathouse and pull more people into it."
These days, Abdullah's reach is as great as ever thanks to his work at Hydrow.
Abdullah is one of the faces of the Boston-based fitness company, leading taped workouts out on the water that can be followed along on a rowing machine at home. He's also part of its behind-the-scenes operation as a software engineer, helping forge the path forward for the fast-growing outfit.
"It just sort of fit," said Abdullah, whose career as a software developer included a stint at Microsoft. "Our CEO Bruce Smith jokes that this company was built for me because I get to row and I get to write software. I couldn't ask for a better life."
Known for leading strenuous workouts, Abdullah has had social media channels filled with messages from Hydrow fans excited to share their ERG scores throughout the pandemic.
"It's pretty cool being a part of people's fitness journeys," said Abdullah, who still races a few times per year with a group of other former national teamers through Diesel Athletic Club.
Though he's relocated to the Boston area, Abdullah still feels at home in D.C.
His mother still lives here, so when he and his wife Megan bring their children Zoe (6) and Sebastian (2) to visit, there's often a detour through Foggy Bottom.
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Beyond his #RaiseHighMadness title, Abdullah has been more connected to GW men's rowing than ever this year with the news that it will transition to club status in 2021-22. He's optimistic about what the future will look like, largely because of how many fellow alumni feel the same way that he does about the program.
"I think it is a great opportunity for alumni to get involved at a deeper level," Abdullah said. "I think that we're all very sad by the loss of varsity status, but I think that we've had an experience at GW that has left an indelible mark upon our character. We recognize that opportunity should be there for other young men and ladies, so our hope is that we can help to continue that tradition."
Watching the tournament honoring the Buff and Blue's best and brightest unfold from his home in Ipswich, Mass., amid the COVID-19 global pandemic was equal parts exciting and humbling for Abdullah, who represented men's rowing from 1992-96 before making history as the first Black man to compete in Olympic rowing at the 2004 Athens Games.
"It just goes to show the richness and importance of athletics at GW and how it shaped and molded so many of our alumni," said Abdullah, who emerged from a decorated field of 32 individuals, teams and moments after more than 14,000 total votes were cast. "Not only those that participated as student-athletes but those who came to big games, came to the regattas, came to the matches, they were all part of it. I think that there's something to be said that we can bring our community back together for something like this."
On his well-documented Olympic journey, Abdullah exemplified the GW Athletics values of Determination, Commitment and Respect. His achievements at the highest levels of his sport included a national title, a Henley Royal Regatta Diamond Sculls win and a Pan American Games silver medal, in addition to his sixth-place finish in doubles sculls at the 2004 Olympics.
Today, Abdullah remains active in the national rowing community, both as an advocate for growing the sport and through his career as a software engineer and featured instructor with Hydrow, the immersive at-home rowing machine whose popularity continues to grow.
"I think that rowing at George Washington University was foundational in me becoming the person that I am," said Abdullah, who was inducted into the GW Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008. "The people that I met at the university from my teammates, to my coaches to the administration, the way they all helped me as I found my way was an example for how I could be a guiding star for those around me. When I think of what it means to Raise High the Buff and Blue, it's setting high standards for yourself and bringing everyone along with you and being that guiding star."
A D.C. native, Abdullah didn't start rowing until his senior year at Wilson High School, but he showed enough promise to earn an offer to join the Buff and Blue.
In choosing to row at GW over several offers to play college football, he got to experience his hometown through a new lens. His top off-the-water memories included a pair of presidential inaugurations and the chance to play his saxophone alongside the legendary Tito Puente.
"There were just so many things that I got to see and do being there in the nation's capital," Abdullah said. "It's one thing to grow up there, but I think going to GW, I also got to see D.C. through the eyes of my teammates and friends who didn't grow up in D.C. and wanted to do stuff that I had done as a kid but maybe hadn't done in a while. It really sort of rekindled that love of being in D.C. for me."
Abdullah's excellence helped the Buff and Blue improve over his time in Foggy Bottom, highlighted by a breakthrough team title at the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championship in his senior season.
Under the direction of coach John Devlin, Abdullah's experience – from winter workouts in the basement of the Geology Department to taking on the famed Exorcist steps in Georgetown to hill runs at Battery Kemble Park – offered lessons that would prove useful as his career progressed.
"It was hard, and we faced challenges and we faced adversity, but I always had teammates there to push me," said Abdullah, who was selected to participate in his first U.S. Olympic Festival while still a member of the Buff and Blue. "I think what I learned was that you can't get there alone. You have to have a support system to help you."
Devlin continued to be a trusted mentor throughout Abdullah's international career. The coach who is memorialized with his name on GW's Varsity 8 boat was there to offer support when Abdullah missed out on the 2000 Olympics by 33-hundredths of a second and there to celebrate four years later when he made history by qualifying for the Athens Games.
"Win or lose throughout my career after college, I could always call him to talk," Abdullah said. "He was there to help support me all the way. A lot of that is the testament to the family that we become."
After such a long and patience-testing road to reach his Olympic dream, Abdullah put his best foot forward in Athens, teaming with Henry Nuzum to become the first American men to qualify for the Olympic final in the event in two decades.
"It's almost like you're holding your breath for a long time, and then you can finally let that breath out," Abdullah said. "There were so many sacrifices that I made along the way in terms of not going to weddings or parties or this or that.
"It was really cool to be able to do that and to be able to share it with everyone who offered their guidance or support through the years. That, to me, was the best part of it."
Since then, Abdullah has been doing what he can to use his platform to help grow the sport.
One way is lending his voice to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at Hydrow, the National Rowing Foundation and A Most Beautiful Thing Fund, which was founded to support the work of Arshay Cooper whose recent memoir of the same name detailed the first all-Black high school rowing team in the country.
"I think there's an important message that rowing has," Abdullah said. "For a long time, there have been people who have seen the sport as elitist, so my message is to try and bring the community outside of the boathouse and pull more people into it."
These days, Abdullah's reach is as great as ever thanks to his work at Hydrow.
Abdullah is one of the faces of the Boston-based fitness company, leading taped workouts out on the water that can be followed along on a rowing machine at home. He's also part of its behind-the-scenes operation as a software engineer, helping forge the path forward for the fast-growing outfit.
"It just sort of fit," said Abdullah, whose career as a software developer included a stint at Microsoft. "Our CEO Bruce Smith jokes that this company was built for me because I get to row and I get to write software. I couldn't ask for a better life."
Known for leading strenuous workouts, Abdullah has had social media channels filled with messages from Hydrow fans excited to share their ERG scores throughout the pandemic.
"It's pretty cool being a part of people's fitness journeys," said Abdullah, who still races a few times per year with a group of other former national teamers through Diesel Athletic Club.
Though he's relocated to the Boston area, Abdullah still feels at home in D.C.
His mother still lives here, so when he and his wife Megan bring their children Zoe (6) and Sebastian (2) to visit, there's often a detour through Foggy Bottom.
Â
Beyond his #RaiseHighMadness title, Abdullah has been more connected to GW men's rowing than ever this year with the news that it will transition to club status in 2021-22. He's optimistic about what the future will look like, largely because of how many fellow alumni feel the same way that he does about the program.
"I think it is a great opportunity for alumni to get involved at a deeper level," Abdullah said. "I think that we're all very sad by the loss of varsity status, but I think that we've had an experience at GW that has left an indelible mark upon our character. We recognize that opportunity should be there for other young men and ladies, so our hope is that we can help to continue that tradition."
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