World Champion
In 1922 Hadfield turned professional and challenged the Christchurch sculler, Richard Arnst, for the latter's world championship. Each rower put up £200. The race was held on the Whanganui River on 5 January and Hadfield won by 10 lengths. Three months later, again on the Whanganui, he lost his title to the Australian Jim Paddon. After an unsuccessful attempt to regain the championship in Australia in 1923 he retired from serious competition. See also World Sculling Championship (Professional)
Hadfield was a quiet, modest man of medium height. He was regarded as a gallant sportsman: gracious in victory and in defeat. After his retirement he gave outstanding service to rowing as a coach,administrator and boat repairer. In 1956, at the age of 67, he rowed number three in a winning veterans' four at Ngaruawahia. His sons were also prominent members of the Waitemata Boating Club.
Hadfield remained involved many aspects of the sport until his death in 1964.
In 1990 Hadfield was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.
Read more about this topic: Clarence Hadfield D'Arcy, Professional Sculling
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