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British four win thrilling gold

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Video - Britain strike gold in coxless four

Great Britain won the Olympic title in coxless fours for the third successive Games after a thrilling late surge.

Andy Hodge, Peter Reed, Steve Williams and Tom James came from three-quarters of a length down to beat Australia.

"I don't know where that last 250m came from. I was in so much pain - I've never been in that pain in my entire life," said Hodge.

Women's double Elise Laverick and Anna Bebington and men's duo Matthew Wells and Steve Rowbotham both took bronze.

Steve Williams is the only remaining member of the coxless four - led by Matthew Pinsent - that triumphed in Athens in 2004.

He and Reed have been the ever-presents this season as Hodge and James have suffered with back injuries and the crew have endured inconsistent results.

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Video - Four relieved after tough race

They only raced in their first-choice line-up for the first time at the start of the Olympic regatta.

"It was very, very tough. We had a very tough four or five months," Williams told BBC Sport.

"[Coach] Jurgen Grobler kept telling us no one could beat us but sometimes it was hard to believe him."

Reed said: "I'm so relieved and happy. It's not a gimme. It was so difficult. We were on the ropes and we put together the best finish we've ever had."

Welshman James added: "We knew we were going to be attacked really hard. We had so much belief."

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Rowbotham and Wells missed out on silver by 0.05 seconds - they were in second place behind Australia's David Crawshay and Scott Brennan until the last few metres but were passed by Estonia.

"It was very disappointing not to get the gold, extremely disappointing not to get the silver but you never pass up an Olympic medal. I'm just delighted," said Rowbotham.

Wells added: "In that last couple of strokes I thought we had it but I'm really pleased to have come away with something."

Laverick won her second successive bronze in the double sculls, after achieving the feat in Athens four years ago.

In front of GB, New Zealand sisters Georgina and Caroline Evers-Swindell passed Germany on the last stroke to defend their title.

"We left it with too much to do but - in Anna's first final - we were nearly there," said Laverick.

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Video - GB double satisfied with bronze

"I said I was going to stop after this but now who knows?"

In the men's single sculls, Britain's Alan Campbell finished fifth after leading for much of the race.

Campbell was also pleased with his efforts at the end of a season interrupted by knee surgery.

"I got to 750m to go and couldn't step on. I tried to give it everything I had but there wasn't a stroke left in me at the end," he said.

"I did my best performance possible but I needed those five weeks in the boat."

GB women's pair Louisa Reeve and Olivia Whitlam came last in their final but had already surpassed expectations.

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Video - Men's double sculls bronze for GB




Rowing medals table

Sunday, 24 August 2008 10:17 UK
RankCountryGoldSilverBronzeTOTAL
1also show each event results forGreat Britain2226
Men's Double Sculls001
Men's Eight010
Men's Four100
Men's Lightweight Double Scull100
Women's Double Sculls001
Women's Quadruple Sculls010
2also show each event results forAustralia2103
Men's Double Sculls100
Men's Four010
Men's Pair100
3also show each event results forCanada1124
Men's Eight100
Men's Lightweight Four001
Men's Pair010
Women's Lightweight Double Scu001
4also show each event results forUSA1113
Men's Eight001
Women's Eight100
Women's Single Sculls010
5also show each event results forChina1102
Women's Pair010
Women's Quadruple Sculls100
6also show each event results forNetherlands1102
Women's Eight010
Women's Lightweight Double Scu100
7also show each event results forPoland1102
Men's Lightweight Four010
Men's Quadruple Sculls100
8also show each event results forNew Zealand1023
Men's Pair001
Men's Single Sculls001
Women's Double Sculls100
9also show each event results forDenmark1012
Men's Lightweight Double Scull001
Men's Lightweight Four100
10also show each event results forRomania1012
Women's Eight001
Women's Pair100
11also show each event results forBulgaria1001
Women's Single Sculls100
12also show each event results forNorway1001
Men's Single Sculls100
13also show each event results forGermany0112
Women's Double Sculls010
Women's Quadruple Sculls001
14also show each event results forCzech Republic0101
Men's Single Sculls010
15also show each event results forEstonia0101
Men's Double Sculls010
16also show each event results forFinland0101
Women's Lightweight Double Scu010
17also show each event results forGreece0101
Men's Lightweight Double Scull010
18also show each event results forItaly0101
Men's Quadruple Sculls010
19also show each event results forBelarus0022
Women's Pair001
Women's Single Sculls001
20also show each event results forFrance0022
Men's Four001
Men's Quadruple Sculls001

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see also
Tufte takes second Olympic gold
16 Aug 08 |  Rowing
Beijing 2008
14 Feb 08 |  Olympics
Rowing boat classes explained
30 May 08 |  Rowing


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