Late surge as coxless four finish in style to continue record of success

Published on Saturday 16 August 2008 19:52

WITH a stunning sustained charge for the line, Britain snatched gold from Australia in the final of the men's fours at the Shunyi rowing course yesterday.

This victory means that Britain has won this classification three times in succession thanks to the efforts of Steve Redgrave and Matthew Pinsent in Sydney, Pinsent again in Athens, and now Tom James, Steve Williams, Peter Reed and Andy Hodge can add their names to the roll of honour.

The British quartet had qualified with the fastest semi-final time, but it was France who were first to show off the start. At the 500-metre mark Australia made their move, with Britain and the Czechs leading the chasing pack. Australia stretched their lead to half a length by 750 metres, and were just under a length up at halfway.

From this point on, the British crew were able to stop the rot. Stroke Andy Hodge started a long charge from 300 metres out and briefly, at 1,800 metres, the crews were level. Then the British four surged ahead.

With the tables turned, the British four withstood everything the Australians could respond with to cross the line over a second up. Meanwhile, France had slipped past Slovenia to take bronze, leaving the Czechs in fifth place, ahead of a sickness-weakened German crew.

As the only survivor from the Athens crew, this was a second Olympic title for Steve Williams. After the race, he said: "You've got to enjoy that. We really paid for that with our souls. It's been really tough you know, not just today, but we've had injuries for the last five months.

"We've had some real low moments, but we've always said physically we'll come back. It's just how we carry it emotionally and mentally. You carry each other."

Comparing this win with Athens, he said: "It doesn't get any easier, that's for sure. This is a totally new experience, different guys, and different journey. I got a lot of confidence from the journey in 2004 but I just want to have another great memory with this crew. What we've done today has been absolutely fantastic and I just want to enjoy it with these guys."

The crew were full of praise for their coach Jurgen Grobler, who has now produced gold medallists in every Games he has taken part in since Montreal in 1976.

Peter Reed said: "There have been times this season when we've been on the ropes, but the consistent element in the last few years has been Jurgen. What he does best is that he knows his athletes and he knows how to peak us at the right time, what to do in difficult situations."

For his part, Grobler refused to compare this crew with its predecessors, saying: "We're at the 2008 Olympics and this will live forever. This crew had their challenge, and they raced it differently. Every sport has its time, every athlete has his time and has to be the best in his time, and that's what these guys demonstrated today – that they were the best today."

It was strokeman Andy Hodge who timed the sprint for the line and he readily admits to being worried they wouldn't make it. He said: "We really had to push hard through the whole race.

We came into the last 200 and I knew we were leading, and I could just feel the power behind me. I knew that I had to give them a rhythm that they could work on and it was a simple case of doing as much as you can. We gave ourselves the chance to step on it, and I'm very pleased that it worked."

Today's five British rowing finalists should produce more medals, with the favourites being the women's quadruple scullers, led by Scotland's Katherine Grainger; Zac Purchase and Mark Hunter, unbeaten in lightweight double sculls this year; and the men's eight, who are looking for the type of surprise victory last achieved by a British eight in Sydney.