PRESS RELEASE: Gold for New Zealand, Germany and Grainger

First, Hamish Bond and Eric Murray rounded out a four-year winning streak and a World and Olympic Best Time to become Olympic Champions in the men's pair. This is the first time that New Zealand has won gold in the pair, an event that has been dominated by Australia and Great Britain in recent years. A silver medal for Germain Chardin and Dorian Mortelette gave France their first rowing medal at this regatta with Great Britain's George Nash and William Satch taking bronze. 

 

Then Mahe Drysdale added another Olympic gold to New Zealand's tally with an epic battle against Ondrej Synek of the Czech Republic in the men's single sculls. Drysdale used a powerful second quarter of the race to inch ahead of Synek. But the effort of this move had taken it out of him and Drysdale had to dig into reserves to hold off the Czech Republic's best ever single sculler, Synek. 

 

At the finish Synek earned his second Olympic silver. Alan Campbell of Great Britain made a gallant charge to pass Sweden's Lassi Karonen and take bronze. This bronze ended a 74 year medal drought in the single sculls for Great Britain. 

There wasn't a dry eye to be seen today for those who have followed the amazing career of Katherine Grainger when she rowed to gold in the women's double sculls.

 

Grainger is Great Britain's most medalled woman rower with three Olympic medals to her credit. But the gold has so far eluded her. Today Grainger, with partner Anna Watkins, made no mistakes and sealed her rowing legacy. Grainger and Watkins' win becomes the second Olympic gold ever for British women's rowing. 

 

Behind the British, Australia's Kim Crow and Brooke Pratley took silver with the bronze going to Poland. Magdalena Fularczyk and Julia Michalska earned Poland the first ever Olympic medal for women in rowing. 

 

In the men's quadruple sculls final Germany performed a beautifully timed race by getting out in front and staying there for the entire race. This was Germany's first win since the 1996 Olympic Games in the quad. Croatia finished with silver and, although disappointed not to be the first ever rowing gold for their country, Damir Martin of the Croatian quad commented that they still felt like winners. Australia took bronze. 

 

Visit our web page dedicated to the 2012 Olympic Rowing Regatta for our live race tracker, race reports, features, quick quotes, photos, links to results, start lists and more.

 

Results and Start Lists can be viewed here.

 

To view our online photo gallery, please click here.