William Austin Tyers "Bill" Sambell (29 October 1910 – 1974) was an Australian rower

Rowing (sport)

Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...

 who competed for Great Britain at the 1932 Summer Olympics

1932 Summer Olympics

The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, was a major world wide multi-athletic event which was celebrated in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. No other cities made a bid to host these Olympics. Held during the worldwide Great Depression, many nations...

.

Sambell was born in Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

, Victoria, Australia. He was educated at Melbourne Grammar School

Melbourne Grammar School

Melbourne Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school predominantly for boys, located in South Yarra and Caulfield, suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....

 before going to England to study at Pembroke College, Cambridge

Pembroke College, Cambridge

Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college has over seven hundred students and fellows, and is the third oldest college of the university. Physically, it is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from almost every century since its...

. In 1931 he and his partner Lewis Luxton

Lewis Luxton

Lewis Luxton was an Australian rower who competed for Great Britain at the 1932 Summer Olympics and became a member of the International Olympic Committee....

 were runners-up in Silver Goblets at Henley Royal Regatta

Henley Royal Regatta

Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...

 to Jumbo Edwards

Hugh Edwards (rower)

Hugh Robert Arthur Edwards , also known as Jumbo Edwards, attended Christ Church, Oxford and was an English rower who competed for Great Britain in the 1932 Summer Olympics....

 and Lewis Clive

Lewis Clive

Lewis Clive was a British rower who won a gold medal in the 1932 Summer Olympics. He was killed in action during the Spanish Civil War....

. In 1932 he was a member of the winning Cambridge

Cambridge University Boat Club

The Cambridge University Boat Club is the rowing club of the University of Cambridge, England, located on the River Cam at Cambridge, although training primarily takes place on the River Great Ouse at Ely. The club was founded in 1828...

 boat in the Boat Race. The 1932 Cambridge crew won the Grand Challenge Cup

Grand Challenge Cup

The Grand Challenge Cup is a rowing competition for men's eights. It is the oldest and most prestigious event at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. It is open to male crews from all eligible rowing clubs...

 at Henley, rowing as Leander Club

Leander Club

Leander Club, founded in 1818, is one of the oldest rowing clubs in the world. It is based in Remenham in the English county of Berkshire, adjoining Henley-on-Thames...

. They were subsequently chosen to represent Great Britain at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

, where they came fourth in the eights

Eight (rowing)

An Eight is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for eight rowers, who propel the boat with sweep oars, and is steered by a coxswain, or cox....

. He was in the winning Cambridge boat in the Boat Race again in 1933 and 1934.

In 1934 he announced his engagement to Elizabeth Carey of West Bristol.