Great Britain’s Helen Glover and the women’s four had to settle for silver in a thrilling final at the Paris Olympics.
The British boat of mother-of-three Glover, Esme Booth, Sam Redgrave and Northern Ireland’s Rebecca Shorten was neck and neck with the Netherlands for the final 500m of the 2,000m race.
For a moment, it looked like Glover’s dream of a third Olympic gold medal would come true, but the Dutch edged them out on the line to win by 0.18 seconds.
“We put it all out there,” said Glover, 38. “We raced the plan we wanted to race, we raced together with so much heart. There can’t be regret looking back and knowing you did all you can.”
In Tokyo, Covid restrictions meant no families could attend, but Paris is different.
“I think no matter how we do, they [family and friends] are the people we go back to who love us no matter what,” she added. “It’s really nice to have everyone out there and everyone who’s supported us from near and far.”
Earlier, Britain’s Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne, another mum, and Becky Wilde secured an emotional bronze medal in the women’s doubles sculls.
Hodgkins-Byrne took time away from the sport after Tokyo 2020 to give birth to son Freddie and Wilde had surgery on her forearms in September.
The men’s four of Oli Wilkes, David Ambler, Matt Aldridge and Freddie Davidson fought back to claim another bronze in the final race of the day.
After a gold in the women’s quadruple sculls on Wednesday, Britain now have a total of four rowing medals in Paris, already one more than they managed at Tokyo 2020.
Daire Lynch and Northern Ireland’s Philip Doyle won bronze for Ireland in the men’s double sculls.
Glover retired after winning golds with Heather Stanning in the women’s pair at London 2012 and Rio 2016, but decided to return at Tokyo 2020, becoming the first mother to compete for the GB rowing team.
She came an agonising fourth in the women’s pair and once again stepped back from the sport, only to be tempted back to compete in France.
Seeking to become the first British woman to win three rowing gold medals, Glover said she wanted to prove it was possible to be the “best athlete and best mum she could be.”
The 38-year-old’s hopes were high in Paris after the team’s unbeaten build-up to the Games, as she attempted to become the first British woman to win three rowing gold medals.
The British crew started steadily and were second to defending champions Romania at halfway, but the Dutch boat powered into the lead and had the strength to hold on until the final stroke of a compelling race.
Hodgkins-Byrne and Wilde made a strong start but were overhauled by eventual champions New Zealand and silver medallists Romania.
They then had to dig deep to hold off the Netherlands and secure an emotional medal.
Hodgkins-Byrne said: “Secretly to ourselves, we were determined to try and get on the podium and that’s what we’ve done.”
Wilde added: “Mathilda has been such a great woman to have in the bow. I have learned so much and I just know if I do my job, push as hard as I can, she will get me over the line.”
The men’s quartet started slowly but fought back to take the bronze behind the United States and New Zealand.
