Olympics Day 9 – Live Commentary

Welcome to the ARA’s live coverage of the Olympic rowing. We’ll be updating this minute by minute as the action happens so keep coming back to get the latest updates. Let us know what you think of the action by emailing [email protected].

Minute by Minute Updates

 
10:37

So that’s it for this year’s Olympic regatta.  GB finish top of the medal table for the regatta – Great result for Team GB.  It also leaves GB in third place in the overall medal table which rather importantly puts them ahead of Australia!

Final results from the men’s eight

Gold [can] 5:23.89
Silver [gbr] 5:25.11
Bronze [usa] 5:25.34
4 [ned] 5:29.26
5

[pol]

5:31.42
6 [aus] 5:35.10

[finish]

[silver]

10:35

GB take silver with Canada taking the gold.  USA just behind GB.

[1500]
10:34

With 500m to go, Cana lead with GB just ahead of USA.  It’s going to be a great 500m.

[1000]
10:32

Canada come through leading at halfway.  GB in second about a length down.

[500]
10:31

Through the 500m and as expected Canada have flown out of the blocks and lead with GB about half a length down on them.  Netherlandsin third.

[start]
10:22

So onto the last race – the men’s eights.  It’s been a great regatta so far for GB can the eight finish it all off with a flourish.

Lane Country
1 [ned]
2 [usa]
3 [can]
4 [gbr]
5 [aus]
6 [pol]
 
10:19

So the full results of the women’s eight.

Gold [usa] 6:05.34
Silver [ned] 6:07.22
Bronze [rou] 6:07.25
4 [can] 6:08.04
5 [gbr] 6:13.74
6 [aus] 6:14.22
[finish]
10:16

USA take the gold, Netherlands take silver with Romania taking bronze.  GB finish in fifth.

[1500]
10:14

USA lead by a long way Romania and Canada battling for the silver behind them.  GB just ahead of the Aussies now in fifth place.

Meanwhile at the velodrome, former GB rower Rebecca Romero has won a gold medal.  Congratulations to her.

[1000]
10:13

At halfway it’s still USA leading with Romania just ahead of Canada behind tem.  GB unfortunately in sixth.

[500]
10:11

At 500m it’s USA leading just ahead of Romania and Canada.  Netherlands in fourth, GB in fifth a little off the pace.

[start]
10:10

We’re about to go to the women’s eight final.  Unfortunately GB has two subs in due to illness.  Louisa Reeve and Alice Freeman have been subbed in for Natasha Howard and Alison Knowles.

Lane Country
1 [gbr]
2 [can]
3 [usa]
4 [rou]
5 [ned]
6 [aus]
 
9:57

So the final results of that men’s quad final.  Meanwhile the medals are being given out for the women’s quad.  They look devastated but I’m sure some of them will be back and looking for gold in Beijing.

Gold [pol] 5:41.33
Silver [ita] 5:43.57
Bronze [fra]

5:44.34

4 [aus] 5:44.68
5 [usa] 5:47.64
6 [ger] 5:50.96
[finish]
9:56

Poland take the gold with Italy in silver.   France take the bronze.

[1500]
9:54

Poland and Italy have pulled away at the front with Australia now in third place just ahead of France.

[1000]
9:53

Poland lead with Italy in second. Poland have about half a length on Italy.

[500]

9:51

Poland, Italy and Germany currently in the top three positions.  Poland had a great semi-final – can they repeat the form in the final.

[start]
9:50

So onto the men’s quad sculls and again there’s no GB interest in this event.  

Following wins in the sailing today on top of the rowing medals – GB now are third in the medal table.  In fact if you ignore Phelps medals for USA we’d actually have more medals than the USA!

Lane Country
1 [fra]
2 [usa]
3 [pol]
4 [ita]
5 [aus]
6 [ger]
 
9:39

So GB pick up a silver but I’m not sure they’re too happy with it.  Despite the disappointment – they gave everything they had and put in a brave fight – well done girls.

Gold [chn] 6:16.06
Silver [gbr] 6:17.37
Bronze [ger] 6:19.56
4 [ukr] 6:20.02
5 [usa] 6:25.86
6 [aus] 6:30.05

[finish]

[silver]

9:35

China take the gold with GB in silver – China had half a length on GB at the end there.  What a shame, they were so close there – China were just too strong there.

[1500]
9:34

At 1500m, GB still lead with China in second and Germany in third.

GB battling hard with China but they have half a length.

[1000]
9:32

At the halfway mark, GB still lead with half a length on China who are putting a big push on.  Germany sat in third with Ukraine going well from lane 6 in fourth place.

[500]
9:31

At 500m, Great Britain lead, half a length up on Germany, China just behind Germany.

[start]
9:30

So onto the women’s quad final – how will our women’s quad go against the very fast Chinese?

Lane Country
1 [aus]
2 [ger]
3 [gbr]
4 [chn]
5 [usa]
6 [ukr]
 
9:17

So the full results from that final.

Gold [den] 5:47.76
Silver [pol] 5:49.39
Bronze [can] 5:50.09
4 [fra] 5:51.22
5 [gbr] 5:52.12
6 [ned] 5:54.06
[finish]
9:14

Denmark win gold with Poland taking silver.  Canada take the bronze.  France take fourth and GB take fifth.

[1500]
9:13

At 1500m, Denmark have a commanding lead over the field.  Poland currently in second with GB in third.

[1000]
9:12

Denmark lead by 3/4 length on Canada.  GB currently in third.

[500]
9:11

Denmark, Canada and France lead the field with GB currently in fourth.

[start]
9:10

Onto the lightweight fours

Lane Country
1 [gbr]
2 [can]
3 [den]
4 [pol]
5 [fra]
6 [ned]
 
9:07

So the full results from that last final.

Gold [gbr] 6:10.99

Silver

[gre] 6:11.72
Bronze [den]

6:12.45

4 [ita] 6:16.15
5 [chn] 6:16.69
6 [cub] 6:19.96

[finish]

[gold]

8:55

Dominating performance from Mark and Zac and they take the gold.  What an amazing performance.

Greece take silver and Denmark take bronze.

[1500]
8:54

GB have a length lead over Greece who have 3/4 length over Denmark.

[1000]
8:53

Through halfway and Purchase and Hunter lead from Greece by half a length.

[500]
8:51

So at 500m it’s Italy leading by about a few foot with Great Britain in second with Greece in third.

[start]
8:50

So start of the men’s lightweight double.

Lane Country
1 [cub]
2 [ita]
3 [gbr]
4 [gre]
5 [den]
6 [chn]
 
8:42

So the full results of that last race are:

Gold [ned] 6:54.74
Silver [fin] 6:56.03
Bronze [can] 6:56.68
 4 [ger] 6:56.72
 5 [chn] 7:01.90
6

[gre]

7:04.61
[finish]
8:36

It’s really close – Netherland take the gold, Finland take silver and Canada take bronze.

[1500]
8:35

Finland lead now with a foot over the Netherlands.  Canada currently in third.

[1000]
8:33

Canada have taken Germany and lead at the halfway mark. Finland still in third.

[500]
8:32

Germany come through in the lead with Canada in second and Finland in third.

[start]
8:30

So the first final today is the women’s lightweight double. Casey and Goodsell just missed out on this one so there’s no GB crew in the race.

Lane Country
1 [gre]
2 [chn]
3 [ned]
4 [can]
5 [fin]
6 [ger]
 
8:21

The latest news from Beijing is that there will be two subs in the women’s eight today.

 
8:19

Great day for Team GB yesterday – let’s hope for another one today.