Was this the perfect row? The powerhouse in the stroke seat, Georgie Brayshaw, calibrated the most spinetingling comeback as she and her team-mates in the women’s quadruple sculls scored Great Britain’s first Olympic rowing victory in eight years.
Over a course of 2,000 metres, and a time of 6:16.31, a margin of 0.15 seconds over the Dutch – who led for all but the final foot of the race – felt ludicrously small. It was like playing cricket for five days and ending with a one-run victory.
After such a long wait, in a discipline that used to be an engine room for Team GB, here was a magnificent way to reopen the gold mine for business. The press tribune at Vaires-Sur-Maine may have remained impartial, but there must have been a lot of rowing fans shouting themselves hoarse at various TVs.
This particular boat has never been a banker for Britain. The last silver at an Olympic regatta came back at London 2012, and there had never previously been a gold.
But if anyone is versed in the art of defying precedent, it is Brayshaw. Here is a woman who spent nine days in a coma at the age of 15 after her horse slipped and fell on her. She was paralysed down her left side for a year, and needed to relearn the most basic of skills.
Here, though, she rowed the ultimate blinder. Great Britain were last off the blocks, and more than a second down at the halfway mark, as the superbly drilled Dutch quad led the way. The only good news, at that stage, was that Ukraine – dangerous underdogs – were not seriously challenging. In terms that Brayshaw would surely recognise, this was a two-horse race.
This British crew may be habitual poor starters, but then they effectively run on diesel. They just keep trucking on, with a slow but powerful cadence that keeps their momentum up for longer than their rivals. The Dutch thought they had seen off the danger as they entered the red buoys – which denote the last 250 metres – with a third of length in hand. But they had reckoned without Brayshaw and her flair for dramatic timing.
12:28 PM BST
Thanks for joining
What a morning that was Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium, thanks in large part to Team GB’s victory in the women’s quad sculls in about as dramatic a finish as you could wish to see at an Olympic Games.
Stay up to day with all the action from Paris through the rest of the day HERE.
12:26 PM BST
Olympic champions
12:19 PM BST
Words from the winning Team GB crew
Lola Anderson: “We spent ages working towards this and as a boat we’re so process-driven, we’re always looking to what comes next but when you’re getting towards the end of a cycle like this, and it doesn’t get bigger than this, it’s quite overwhelming to experience this, but really grateful.”
“13 years ago, I’d forgotten about it until a couple of years ago, my dad reminded me of it and I know that he would be so proud and I’m thinking a lot about him right now.”
Hannah Scott: “It’s been a long time in the making and I still can’t quite believe it. I don’t know if I’m emotional yet but that will come. I think we were so process-driven today and the immensity of what this is, it hasn’t caught up with me.
“The crew today were amazing. We kept it so cool to the end. We had the confidence, we’ve done so many hard miles in training and for anyone out there just go for it. If you think you can you might just do it one day, and that’s the really cool thing about the Olympics.”
12:14 PM BST
How Team GB are getting on…
…compared to previous Olympic Games.
12:09 PM BST
LISTEN: ‘A glorious gold for Team GB’
12:08 PM BST
The British quad….
…leap for joy as they are announced as gold medallists. All smiles from the girls and from Princess Anne. Stirring stuff as we bask in a sixth gold medal of the games for Great Britain.
12:04 PM BST
Princess Royal to present medals…
…for women’s quad sculls. She only returned to public duties earlier this month after a head injury and concussion caused by an accident involving a horse.
12:03 PM BST
WATCH: the closing stages of the women’s quad sculls
12:02 PM BST
Here comes the presentation…
…not sure they’ll be a dry eye in the house for all connected to Team GB.
11:56 AM BST
What. A. Moment
11:55 AM BST
Men’s quad sculls presentation…
…is currently happening as we all take a breath from that remarkable Team GB gold, the presentation for which is fast upcoming.
11:51 AM BST
‘Eight years of hurt’
Spinetingling finish! They were behind until the last metre or two. The first British rowing gold for eight years! The first British women’s quad to win the Olympic regatta! And what a way to do it.
11:51 AM BST
‘Incredible way to win’
Oh, what drama for Great Britain! It looked like an agonising defeat until the very final seconds but it’s gold by the tiniest margins, right at the death. It all seemed to be going according to plan after the hallway point, with their boat gradually eating into the Netherlands’ lead but they faded in the final 500m and did not have enough to get ahead. But there was enough left in the tank to take the lead for the first time in the race with their final stroke. Incredible way to win.
11:50 AM BST
Final result
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Great Britain 6:16.31
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Netherlands 6:16.46
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Germany 6:19.70
11:46 AM BST
My word…
It really doesn’t get better than that. Lauren Henry, Hannah Scott, Lola Anderson and Georgie Brayshaw have just won and Olympic gold medal with the final stroke.
11:45 AM BST
WOW WOW WOW
THEY GET THERE! REMARKABLE FINAL 10M FROM TEAM GB!
11:44 AM BST
200m to go…
Can Britain find the strength to get past…
11:43 AM BST
500m to go…
…a straight sprint between the Dutch and the British!
11:41 AM BST
The Dutch are two seats up…
… on Britain at 1000m. The next 500m are going to be vital.
11:40 AM BST
Team GB third…
…at 500m. The Dutch lead with Ukraine in second.
11:39 AM BST
The Dutch take a few lengths early
Team GB start a shade sluggishly in truth. They need to find their rhythm.
11:38 AM BST
In lane four…
….Lauren Henry, Hannah Scott, Lola Anderson and Georgie Brayshaw for Team GB. Can they do it? Stayed tuned to find out.
They’re off…
11:37 AM BST
‘Horrible dejection’
A scrap for the GB team, who looked in a race for silver at best from the very early stages, the Netherlands as expected comfortable winners. Italy made the early running but it was Poland who set the pace after that, with the hope GB were saving something in the second half. The Italians briefly looked like fading, briefly the slowest boat with a quarter of the race left, but they came back strong and GB never really looked like overturning their lead and sneaking into the medals at the final stages. Horrible dejection in their boat, which was barely moved since crossing the line.
11:36 AM BST
‘Frustrating and familiar’
Frustrating and familiar: a fourth place for Britain in the first rowing final of the 2024 Olympiad, carrying on the tradition established in Tokyo when there were six boats that claimed the worst position of all. I feel for Graeme Thomas, such a British rowing stalwart, denied Olympic medal recognition once again. Still, this was probably in line with expectations, so not a heavy blow for the team’s prospects overall.
11:35 AM BST
More to come from the men shortly…
…but now attention turns to the women’s quad and what is a real gold medal chance for Team GB.
11:32 AM BST
Heartbreak for Team GB
It’s fourth for Tom Barras, Callum Dixon, Matt Haywood and Graeme Thomas. The Netherlands are Olympic champions, Italy take silver and it’s bronze for Poland.
11:31 AM BST
Italy and Poland holding firm
The British are being kept in fourth place here.
11:30 AM BST
Team GB making their move
As they come up aside Italy…500m to go.
11:29 AM BST
Through 1000m…
The British crew are in fourth, as the Dutch lead. This is very, very tight at present. All to play for.
11:27 AM BST
And they’re off!
Decent start from all the crews. GB in about third after the first 12 strokes.
11:26 AM BST
Here we go…
2000m of pain for these six crews lie in wait. Three Olympic medals on offer. Can Team GB secure one of them?
11:25 AM BST
Men’s quad sculls final
Here’s how they line up…
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Switzerland (Dominic Condrau; Jonah Plock; Scott Baerlocher; Maurin Lange)
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Great Britain (Tom Barras, Callum Dixon, Matt Haywood and Graeme Thomas)
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Italy (Luca Chiumento, Luca Rambaldi, Andrea Panizza, Giacomo Gentili)
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Netherlands (Koen Metsemakers, Lennart van Lierop, Finn Florijn, Tone Wieten)
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Poland (D. Czaja, M. Biskup, M. Ziętarski, F. Barański)
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Germany (Moritz Wolff, Tim Ole Naske, Max Appel, Anton Finger)
11:15 AM BST
‘Wonder how the rowers get up for them’
Odd thing, these ‘B finals,’ defining the 7th-9th placed finishes. Wonder how the rowers get up for them. It there all the usual visualising? Hours spent picturing the moment when you finish eighth? Seems unnecessary to me, just let them go home after the semis.
Not long now until the GB men’s sculls team go in their A (for “actual”) final. They are not fancied to win gold, the Netherlands are odds-on favourites, but should be in with a shout of silver. Italy the other expected podium-dwellers.
11:13 AM BST
A proud afternoon…
…for Bann Rowing Club in Coleraine, Northern Ireland this morning as Hannah Scott goes for gold in the women’s quad.
If she, along with Lauren Henry, Lola Anderson and Georgie Brayshaw, wins a medal in around half an hour’s time, she will enter the club’s lineage of Olympic medalists, along with Peter and Richard Chambers, who won silver in the lightweight men’s four at London 2012.
Founded in 1842, Bann is one of the oldest rowing clubs in all of Ireland and operates a purely voluntary basis. A huge day for the club and for the 60 or so friends and family of Scott who are in Paris to watch this morning.
11:03 AM BST
Team GB’s Matt Haywood…
…who is making his Olympic debut in Paris this year and will row in the final of the men’s quad shortly.
He said: “It was really good to get my first race in at my first Olympics. We’ve definitely got a lot of stuff to work on, but it was a good first round to get done. All eyes on the final next week. I think you’ve got to think of this as another race – as soon as you start to think about it as an Olympics, nerves will build and panic starts to set in. It’s just another race – there are less crews and we’ve faced them all before. It’s the same people, we have to focus on that.
“The thing that’s so different is the crowd – there are so many people. This is unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. From the 1000m mark you have people screaming and shouting the whole way, and to know my family and friends are there and supporting from home, it really adds to it.”
10:59 AM BST
The B Finals…
…of the men’s and women’s quad sculls are up next before Team GB go for gold, the first of which will see Tom Barras, Callum Dixon, Matt Haywood and Graeme Thomas in the final of the men’s at 11.26.
10:53 AM BST
Romania respond to Team GB pair
Ionela Cozmiuc and Gianina Beleaga cross first ahead of the Greek crew Dimitra Kontú and Zona Fitsiou and Margaret Cremen and Aoife Casey of Ireland.
10:49 AM BST
Team GB’s biggest challengers…
…in the women’s double sculls are Romania and they look strong in this second semi-final. Greece, Ireland and France are also in the mix with 650m to go in a very competitive semi-final.
10:45 AM BST
‘Glossary of useful terms’
A confession. You will be reading some words from journalists who are out of their comfort zone at this Olympics. Most of us specialise in a handful of sports, but few of them are, to pick an example at random, Greco-Roman wrestling.
As such my father in law, a rowing coach, has just Whatsapped me a handy glossary of useful rowing terms. In my defence I was already pretty across some of the words, such as “oars”. Interesting to learn of the phrase “catching a crab,” though which is when a rower makes a technique mistake and fails to fully remove their oar from the water the end of their stroke.
Emily Craig and Imogen Grant into their final with a bit to spare and no crabs harmed along the way.
10:42 AM BST
Excellent from Team GB
Imogen Grant and Emily Craig are into the final at a canter. They were a class apart there and have serious gold-medal claims in the final.
Second were Jackie Kiddle and Shannon Cox or New Zealand, with Molly Reckford and Michelle Sechser of USA in third.
10:39 AM BST
Lovely stuff from…
…the British pair here, opening up a half-length after the 1000m mark.
10:37 AM BST
Grant and Craig lead…
…at 500m. They are being kept honest by the New Zealand crew Jackie Kiddle and Shannon Cox.
10:35 AM BST
Team GB time
Imogen Grant and Emily Craig are up in the women’s lightweight double sculls. This pair are real medal chance for Team GB. Let’s hope they can secure a place in the final.
10:33 AM BST
Italians hold on…
…just. Antonios Papakonstantinou and Petros Gaidatzís of Greece produced a superb row there after going out hard in the first 1000m. They qualify in second with the Norwegian crew of Lars Benske and Ask Jarl Tjom in third.
10:29 AM BST
Italy in action
Gabriel Soares and Stefano Oppo are going to offer the biggest challenge to the Irish in the final but they are in a real battle here in the second semi-final. Greece are rowing well, with Spain and Norway also pushing up in between the leaders.
10:24 AM BST
Superb from Ireland
Fintan McCarthy and Paul O’Donovan get the job done there with the minimum of fuss. They will prove very tough to beat in the final. Raphael Ahumada and Jan Schäuble of Switzerland are second, with Jiří Šimánek and Miroslav Vraštil of Czechia edging out the French crew for third.
10:20 AM BST
Ireland turn the screw
With 500m to go, Ireland are pulling away from the remainder of this field. They look incredibly strong here. Switzerland look almost nailed on for second but there is a right battle on for third. France and the Czechs in a real battle.
10:17 AM BST
We move on
The men’s double sculls semi-finals are up next. Much of the attention will be on the Irish crew of Fintan McCarthy and Paul O’Donovan, the Olympic champions, and they lead at 1000m from Switzerland.
10:13 AM BST
Brilliant row from USA
Jess Thoennes and Azja Czajkowski have done so well to finish second there from lane six. Jessica Morrison and Annabelle McIntyre of Australia turned the screw in the final 500m to take the heat. They will be the biggest threat to the Dutch in the final.
The Lithuanian crew of Kamilė Kralikaitė and Ieva Adomavičiūtė finished third.
10:09 AM BST
In the second semi-final…
…of the women’s pair the USA have gone out very fast and lead one of the gold-medal favourites, Australia, by half-a-boat with 500m to go.
One quite satisfying thing about rowing compared to some other Olympic sports is the clear evidence that its athletes have gone through something incredibly demanding. Brew and Edwards looked absolutely crushed, flopping forward exhausted after their race. It’s not quite at the triathlon finish level when you are reliably concerned for each finishers’ life, but a good reminder of just how difficult it is to compete at this level. One step too far for Brew and Edwards today, they go into the B final.
10:03 AM BST
Netherlands take it
Veronique Meester and Ymkje Clevering showed their very best there. They qualify for the final along with Ioana Vrînceanu and Roxana Anghel of Romania and Evangelia Anastasiadou and Christina Bourmpou of Greece.
Those crews had too much for Chloe Brew and Rebecca Edwards, with the Team GB crew finishing fifth.
10:01 AM BST
James Cracknell waxing lyrical…
…about this performance from the Dutch and it’s easy to see why. They have completely dismantled this field. There’s probably five boat lengths between them and Romania in second.
09:59 AM BST
Team GB making inroads
Chloe Brew and Rebecca Edwards are starting to respond but they still have it all to do with 1000m left. It looks like a third-placed finish is the best they can hope for here. The Netherlands are way out in front.
09:56 AM BST
Team GB start slowly
They looked to have a little bump in the opening few strokes of the race and are sat dead-last in this semi. The Dutch lead from Greece and Denmark at 500m.
Fairly comfortable second for the men, safely into the final. Romania in first seemed to be making a point by turning up the pace at the end, the GB boat looked to have a little to spare. Now it’s Rebecca Edwards and Chloe Brew in their equivalent semi. Brew comes from fine Olympic stock, Dad Paul swam for GB at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games in the 400m individual medley, uncle, Robin was part of the 200m individual medley in LA four years earlier.
09:55 AM BST
Our man on the ground
Morning from Le Grand Expanse d’Eau arena* here on the Eastern outskirts of Paris. Rowing fans out in force here and grateful for a cloudy break in the weather which has been oscillating between sullen rain and fierce sun.
Oliver Wynne-Griffith and Tom George just starting their men’s pairs semi-final. The Irish pair of Corrigan and Timoney are well supported here, biggest cheers for their names before the start. The GB pair making good ground at the halfway point but behind the Irish and Romanians.
* It’s actually the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical “stadium”**
** Some temporary stands
09:54 AM BST
On we go…
Chloe Brew and Rebecca Edwards are about to get underway in the semi-final of the women’s pair.
Busy few hours for Team GB on the water coming up.
09:52 AM BST
Team GB into the final!
Second place in the semi-final for Tom George and Ollie Wynne-Griffith. They will need more if they want to medal in the final. Good performance from Romania in first, with the Irish pair rounding out the top three.
09:50 AM BST
Romania lead with 500m to go
But here come Tom George and Ollie Wynne-Griffith. They are really turning to screw here as they look to take this semi and secure a good lane in the final.
09:46 AM BST
Here come Team GB..
Tom George and Ollie Wynne-Griffith now have the chance to respond in the second semi-final of the men’s pairs.
09:45 AM BST
Sinkovic brothers take it
Croatia were impressive there, laying down a marker for the second semi-final. They qualify for the final, along with the Swiss pair of Roman Roeoesli and Andrin Gulich and Jaime Canalejo and Javier Garcia of Spain.
09:42 AM BST
Croatia lead
Brothers Martin Sinkovic and Valent Sinkovic are going very well here, with the Swiss pushing hard on the near-side. Spain lead South Africa for the final place in the final at 500m to go.
09:39 AM BST
Men’s pairs semi-finals are underway
The first features the USA’s William Bender and Oliver Bub, the Olympic champions from Tokyo four years ago. Croatia, Switzerland and South Africa are also powerful crews.
Three places available for the final.
09:36 AM BST
Paige Badenhorst takes it
She toughed that out well in the closing stages amid a strong surge from Mexico’s Kenia Lechuga. Diana Dymchenko finished third. Turkey, Peru and Vietnam fall into the D Final.
09:33 AM BST
South Africa’s…
….Paige Badenhorst leads in the second of the C/D semi-finals of the women’s single sculls. Kenia Lechuga of Mexico, Elis Özbay of Turkey and Diana Dymchenko of Azerbaijan battling for second and third.
09:28 AM BST
A reminder…
…we are just over 15 minutes from the first Team GB action of the morning as Tom George and Ollie Wynne-Griffith attempt to qualify for the men’s coxless pair final at 9.44.
09:26 AM BST
Arsic takes it
Jovana Arsic takes first place for Serbia in a superb row from the 1000-metre mark. Nina Kostanjsek from Slovenia and Beatriz Tavares of Brazil round out the top three.
Paraguay, Philippines and Iran will have to settle for the D Final.
09:22 AM BST
Now the turn of the women…
…in the C/D semi-finals of the single sculls. Slovenia, Serbia, Brazil and Paraguay all battling for the three places in the C Final.
09:16 AM BST
Action continues
Jacob Plihal wins the other semi-final of the men’s single sculls. He qualifies for the C Final along with Kristian Vasilev of Bulgaria and Javier Insfran of Paraguay.
09:08 AM BST
Words from…
…Team GB’s women’s quadruple sculls crew, who go for gold at 11.38 this morning.
Georgie Brayshaw said: “The first race I always feel is the most nerve wracking – figuring out how the field has moved on. Now it’s just building on that for the final.
“It’s about remembering that this is the same 2km lake as everywhere else I’ve ever rowed – just trying to block out everything else that’s happening. It’s the Olympics and it’s so special but that doesn’t matter when we’re racing, we’ll think about that later.”
Lauren Henry said: “It’s very exciting to get the first race down and take the win from the heat. I think now we focus, keep very internal and focus our intention of preparing ourselves as best as we can for Wednesday’s final.
“That’s where the big dance is, the race we’ve been preparing for all this time. Really pleased but excited to see what we can do on Wednesday.”
Hannah Scott and Lola Anderson round out the crew.
09:05 AM BST
Verthein wins!
A great result for the Brazilian, he qualifies for the C Final, with Petervari-Molnar and Boudina taking the three remaining C final places in this heat. Egypt, Hong Kong and India will have to settle for the D final.
09:02 AM BST
Our first semi-final of the morning…
…is underway in the form of the men’s single sculls. Lucas Verthein of Brazil has taken a sizable lead out of the field with 700 metres to go. Sid Ali Boudina of Algeria and Bendeguz Petervari-Molnar of Hungary lead the chase.
08:54 AM BST
China romp home…
No contest in the end. China were far too good for the three other crews there so it’s victory for Xiuping Qiu and Jiaqi Zou with Peru in second, Japan third and Iran fourth.
08:50 AM BST
Back on the water…
China have clear water in the C Final of the women’s lightweight double sculls. They surprisingly failed to qualify for the final so are clear favourites to take this. Peru are second at present, with Iran and Japan battling for the minor placings.
08:47 AM BST
Team GB interest
-
Tom George and Ollie Wynne-Griffith go in the men’s coxless pair semi-final at 9.44
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Chloe Brew and Rebecca Edwards follow soon after the in women’s coxless pair semi-final at 9.54
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Imogen Grant and Emily Craig then go in the semi-finals of the women’s lightweight double sculls at 10.34
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Tom Barras, Callum Dixon, Matt Haywood and Graeme Thomas in the final of the men’s quadruple sculls at 11.26
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Lauren Henry, Hannah Scott, Lola Anderson and Georgie Brayshaw in the final of the women’s quadruple sculls at 11.38
08:40 AM BST
Chile win!
Cesar Abaroa and Eber Sanhueza cross the line first, holding off a late challenge from Japan. Uzbekistan were third, with Egypt crossing the line in fourth.
08:35 AM BST
The action is underway
Men’s crews from Chile, Japan, Uzbekistan and Egypt are under away in final C of the men’s lightweight double sculls.
FYI, in rowing all crews are ranked at the end of the competition, meaning ‘B’ and ‘C’ finals are used to establish the final placings of those which failed to make the main final.
08:32 AM BST
Full schedule this morning
-
Right now: Men’s and Women’s lightweight double sculls final C
-
8.54: Men’s and Women’s single sculls semi-finals
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9.34: Men’s and Women’s pair semi-finals
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10.14: Men’s and Women’s lightweight double sculls semi-finals
-
11.02: Men’s and Women’s quadruple sculls FINALS
08:28 AM BST
Team GB in hunt for gold
An exciting morning awaits at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium, with Team GB in the hunt for two medals later this morning in both the women’s and men’s quadruple sculls.
Lauren Henry, Hannah Scott, Lola Anderson and Georgie Brayshaw won their heat in fine style on Monday, finishing four seconds quicker than the Dutch crew, who were winners of the first heat.
They are now clear favourites to take gold this morning, with Anderson saying after the crew’s dominant win in the heats: “We try to block out all the noise of coming in as favourites. We have had seasons before where we’ve come in as underdogs and had great results, then come in as favourites and havent come on top.
“It doesn’t make any difference to us, we just try to respond to whatever the crews are doing on the day and move with them.”
Preceding the women’s final is the men’s, where Tom Barras, Callum Dixon, Matt Haywood and Graeme Thomas will take to the water for a race of high quality.
The Dutch crew are heavy favourites to take gold after a dominant display in the heats but Team GB are far from out of the running and with Italy will mount a serious charge at the men in orange.
After the heats, Dixon said: “What gives us confidence is this saying we’ve always had – the water, the wind and the waves don’t know it’s the Olympic Games.
“So it’s different because you’ve got five other boats side by side but internally we’re running the same processes, rowing the same patterns. There’s a lot of confidence to be taken from that.”
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