Vaires-sur-Marne is buzzing. The 2024 Olympic rowing events have already served up beautiful moments, with gold medals decided by fractions of a second, favourites dethroned, and highly awaited comebacks.
The Americans are celebrating a historic win, the Dutch have pulled off a stunning upset, and a pair of Kiwi mums just showed the world how it’s done. Want to know more on who’s on top and what’s coming next? Here’s the lowdown on the Paris 2024 rowing competition.
USA Ends 64-Year Drought in Men’s Four
The American crew just pulled off something very special in the men’s four. Nick Mead, Justin Best, Michael Grady, and Liam Corrigan grabbed gold with a time of 5:49.03, beating New Zealand by less than a second. It’s their first win in this event since Rome 1960 — that’s over six decades!
Best couldn’t hold back after crossing the finish line. “I was just bawling my eyes out,” he said. “Seeing the flag being raised… I love these guys, I love the United States of America.”
The race was tight from the start. The US and New Zealand were neck and neck for most of the 2000-metre course. In the final 250 metres, both crews gave it everything they had, with the Americans just managing to pull ahead.
This win might be the start of something big for US rowing. Grady hopes it’ll get more young Americans into the sport: “I can only hope it inspires and motivates the youth of US rowing. We have quite a large US rowing system under development.”
Great Britain, despite a slow start, managed to take bronze. They clocked 5:52.42, adding another medal to their tally at these Games. The British crew, known for their strong finishes, made a late push but couldn’t catch the leading pairs.
Netherlands Edges Out Britain in Women’s Four Thriller
The Netherlands threw a spanner in the works for Great Britain in the women’s four. Marloes Oldenburg, Hermijntje Drenth, Tinka Offereins, and Benthe Boonstra crossed the line in 6:27.13, just beating the British crew by 0.18 seconds.
It was anyone’s race until the very end. The Dutch started strong, taking an early lead of half a length. But the British, who hadn’t lost all year, were right on their tail. By the halfway mark, it looked like Britain might overtake them.
In the last 500 meters, it was stroke for stroke, with the lead changing hands several times. The Dutch crew’s final push in the last few strokes made all the difference.
For the British team of Helen Glover, Esme Booth, Sam Redgrave, and Rebecca Shorten, silver wasn’t quite what they’d hoped for. Glover missed out on what would’ve been her third Olympic gold. Still, her comeback after retiring post-Rio 2016 is impressive.
New Zealand took bronze, with Jackie Gowler, Phoebe Spoors, Davina Waddy, and Kerri Williams finishing just 0.44 seconds ahead of Romania. The Kiwis’ strong finish saw them move from fourth to third in the final stretch.
Romania’s Comeback in Men’s Double Sculls
Andrei Sebastian Cornea and Marian Florian Enache from Romania turned the tables in the men’s double sculls final. They were behind the Dutch pair Melvin Twellaar and Stef Broenink for most of the race but found an extra gear at the end to win in 6:12.58.
The Romanians were in third place at the halfway mark, trailing both the Netherlands and Ireland. Their surge in the third 500 metres brought them level with the Dutch, setting up a dramatic finish.
Enache was buzzing after the win: “I always knew in my mind that we are the best, we can win this final. We worked a lot to be here. We deserve it.” This victory adds to Romania’s growing medal count in rowing at these Games.
The Dutch had to settle for silver, finishing in 6:13.92. Ireland’s Daire Lynch and Philip Doyle took bronze, clocking 6:15.17. The Irish pair, who led early on, couldn’t maintain their pace but held off a late challenge from Australia to secure their podium spot.
Twellaar from the Netherlands tried to look on the bright side: “The silver is really special. Not everyone can say they have two Olympic silver medals in this really hard boat field.” This adds to the silver he won in Tokyo 2020.
Kiwi Mums Top the Podium in Women’s Double Sculls
New Zealand’s Brooke Francis and Lucy Spoors just beat the defending champs Ancuta Bodnar and Simona Radis from Romania in the women’s double sculls. The Kiwis finished in 6:50.45, with the Romanians just 0.24 seconds behind.
This was a big deal. Bodnar and Radis were the favourites, having won the last two world championships and gold at Tokyo 2020. They’d also set the fastest time in the heats.
The race was tight from start to finish. Britain’s Mathilda Hodgkins Byrne and Rebecca Wilde led early on, setting a blistering pace. By halfway, Romania was in front, but New Zealand was coming on strong.
In the last 250 metres, it was back and forth between New Zealand and Romania. The Kiwis just managed to push ahead at the very end, their bow crossing the line first in a photo finish.
Spoors joked about what their kids might’ve been doing during the race: “They were probably eating crackers and watching Peppa Pig if they didn’t want to sit still.” Francis and Spoors recalled fondly the shared experience of balancing training with caring for their children in the lead-up to the Games.
Britain’s Hodgkins Byrne and Wilde held on for bronze, finishing in 6:53.22. Their early pace might have cost them in the end, but they managed to hold off a late charge from the Netherlands.
What’s Next on the Schedule?
AUGUST 2
- Men’s Single Sculls Finals
- Women’s Single Sculls Finals
- Men’s Pair Finals
- Women’s Pair Finals
- LWT Men’s Double Sculls Finals
- LWT Women’s Double Sculls Finals
AUGUST 3
- Women’s Single Sculls Finals
- Men’s Single Sculls Finals
- Women’s Eight Final A
- Men’s Eight Final A
READ MORE: Olympics 2024 Rowing: British Hopes on Parisian Waters
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