Helen Glover missed out on a third Olympic title as Great Britain were agonisingly edged out in a dramatic womens four final at Paris 2024.
The mum-of-three, who won pairs gold at London 2012 and Rio 2016, took four years out of the sport before the Tokyo Olympics and 12 months off after those Games before deciding to come back for more.
Alongside Rebecca Shorten, Esme Booth and Sam Redgrave, the 38-year-old helped the British crew gradually close the gap on the Netherlands after a fast start from the Dutch.
It was anyones race with 500 metres to go with the two crews neck and neck, and Britain looked as if they would just get the upper hand as they pushed for glory.
But the Netherlands held on to cross the line in six minutes 27.31 seconds – 0.18secs ahead of the British boat.
Great Britain mens four followed up immediately with a bronze medal.
The quartet of Oli Wilkes, David Ambler, Matt Aldridge and Freddie Davidson produced a patient race, coming right through most of the field after a watchful start.
The British crew swept past Italy 800 metres from home into third place, eventually settling for bronze with the United States taking gold and New Zealand silver.
Earlier the womens four secured the first British medal of the day with a bronze in the womens double sculls.
Becky Wilde and Mathilda Hodgkins Byrne, in lane two, went out hard from the start and led at the 500m mark with Romania taking over by halfway.
New Zealand eventually moved into pole position for gold to edge out Romania, but Wilde and Hodgkins Byrne staved off a late challenge from the Netherlands to take bronze.
It was quite an achievement for the pair to win medals as Wilde had surgery on her forearms 10 months ago and Hodgkins Byrne took time away from the sport after Tokyo 2020 to have her son Freddie, now two.
Hodgkins Byrne said: Secretly to ourselves, we were determined to try and get on the podium and thats what weve 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.
They may not be quite the colour they wanted but the silver medals the womens four won today should be treasured.
They put in a spectacular row and only narrowly fell short of the Netherlands, who responded to the British fightback with an extraordinary second push for the line.
Great Britain got off to a fairly slow start as USA and New Zealand streaked away from the off.The British mens coxless four tried their best to battle back but struggled to find their rhythm and ultimately proved no match for the Americans, who set the tone from the very start.
New Zealand clinched second and Oliver Wilkes, David Ambler, Matt Aldridge and Freddie Davidson had to settle for bronze.
A race that felt like the inverse of the womens sculls yesterday, another event where Team GB and the Netherlands were vying for gold. It went GBs way at the death on Wednesday despite trailing for the entire race and looking unlikely to snatch the gold they did.
This morning the foursome seemed to execute the perfect race, slowly reeling in the Dutch and even taking the lead towards the end. But where there was joy yesterday in the final metres, disappointment today. Something went awry and the Dutch roared back.
Helen Glover and co looking pretty dejected as they make their way to the jetty. They were odds on favourites for this race.
Ultimately no shame in a silver but no hiding their disappointment.
Can the British men go one better than their female counterparts in the mens coxless four final?
Lets find out now.
The Dutch responded well to the British push to set up a tense final 500m.
The Netherlands were holding on to first place for much of the final stretch as the British girls kept pushing.With 250m to go Team GB edged in front of the Oranje boat.But the Netherlands came back strongly to narrowly hold off the valiant British challenge.
No fairytale third gold for Glover but a superb display of Olympic rowing – and a brilliant silver for the four women, who gave their all out there.
The Netherlands crossed the line in 6min 27.31sec – 0.18sec ahead of the British boat.
Its a decent start for Team GB, but its the Netherlands who have streaked out in front in the first 1,000m.Great Britain have edged back from third into second at the halfway point!
Time now to see if there will be a happy ending for Helen Glover – and her bid for a third gold medal.
Along with Glover in the womens four is Esme Booth, Rebecca Shorten and Sam Redgrave.
And theyre off.
Philip Doyle and team-mate Daire Lynch have won bronze for Ireland in the mens double-sculls.
Romania took gold with a lung-busting final 500m to pip the Netherlands to the post.
Ireland held off the challenge of Team USA to claim bronze, Irelands fourth medal at France 2024.
Hodgkins Byrne and Wilde celebrate with a refreshing dip of their feet into the water.
They look satisfied with their bronze, and hung on well after flying out into silver for much of the opening portion of that race.
A 12-second hug as they exit their boat on the medallists jetty. Top work.
A close finish in Paris.Team GB were in a silver-medal place for much of the final 500 metres but they were beaten to silver by Romania, with Brook Francis and Lucy Spoors of New Zealand taking gold in a pulsating race.
A creditable performance by Team GB in a highly competitive race.
Hodgkins Byrne and Wilde are going well.
They were holding on to a silver medal place but have slipped into thirdCan they bit back at Romania an New Zealand in the final 500m?
Mathilda Hodgkins Byrne and Rebecca Wilde are about to set off in the womens double sculls.James Cracknell has suggested the pair should not go all out for gold but instead row within themselves to ensure a podium finish.Bit negative, perhaps?Lets see how they get on. And theyre off!
Morning from a sweltering Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical stadium. A delightful setting for some rowing but its quite a trek from downtown Paris, basically next door to Euro Disney. Some exotic smells on the crowded train out here and a sense that nearly a week in some of the Olympics ultras and journalists have let their personal hygiene standards slip. Your correspondent is wearing a very clean T-shirt and yet to receive any complaints about his unique personal fragrance.
Womens double sculls final up first for Team GB medal chances this morning, with Mathilda Hodgkins Byrne and Rebecca Wilde. They only qualified for the Olympics at the final possible moment at what is known as the Regatta of Death, in Lucerne, Switzerland.
We never, ever want to go to Olympic qualifiers again, said Hodgkins Byrne. That experience is something I wouldnt wish upon anyone. Its not like a normal race, where people are upset they havent got the medal. You can genuinely see their career is over. Like everything they put into it, they now dont have. Theyre completely helpless, completely broken. Ive never been in a boat park where people are genuinely distraught, and crying under the boats.
A fine way to close out their Olympics by Ireland, who have won the B final in the womens four.
Imogen Magner, Elmear Lambe, Natalie Long and Emily Hegarty left Denmark and Australia trailing in their wake to win the meet in 6min 34.74sec.
In the Womens Eight Repechages its Denmark who miss out, with USA, Canada, Australia and Italy making it to the final.
In the Mens equivalent its Italy who fall short; Netherlands, Germany, Romania and Australia getting through.
So much for saving yourself for the final.
Oliver Zeidler has just given the finest display of single-sculls ever witnessed at an Olympics, smashing his way into the final with a time of 6min 35.77sec
In the words of James Cracknell: Zeidler was on one today!
The Germans will be hoping hes left something in the tank for the actual final.
1. Simon van Dorp, Netherlands, 6:42.39 (FA).2. Thomas Mackintosh, New Zealand, 6:44.49 (FA).3. Tim Brys, Belgium, 6:45.32 (FA).4. Ryuta Arakawa, Japan, 6:51.13 (FB).5. Bruno Cetraro Berriolo, Uruguay, 7:08.29 (FB).6. Giedrius Bieliauskas, Lithuania, 7:09.29 (FB).
1. Oliver Zeidler, Germany, 6:35.77 (FA).2. Yauheni Zalaty, AIN, 6:39.01 (FA).3. Stefanos Ntouskos, Greece, 6:40.78 (FA).
4. Sverri Nielsen, Denmark, 6:43.95 (FB).5. Mihai Chiruta, Romania, 6:52.95 (FB).6. Damir Martin, Croatia, 6:58.23 (FB).
The top three from each semi will take part in Saturdays final.
The results for the womens single sculls semi-finals are in with New Zealands Emma Twigg having posted a rapid time.
1. Karolien Florijn, Netherlands, 7:21.26 (FA)2. Tara Rigney, Australia, 7:23.58 (FA)3. Desislava Angelova, Bulgaria, 7:27.16 (FA)
4. Anna Prakaten, Uzbekistan, 7:29.28 (FB)5. Aurelia-Maxima Katharina Janzen, Switzerland, 7:31.65 (FB)6. Virginia Diaz Rivas, Spain, 7:37.52 (FB)
1. Emma Twigg, New Zealand, 7:17.19 (FA)2. Viktorija Senkute, Lithuania, 7:19.15 (FA)3. Kara Kohler, United States, 7:22.33 (FA)
4. Alexandra Foester, Germany, 7:24.63 (FB)5. Tatsiana Klimovich, AIN, 7:26.56 (FB)6. Magdalena Lobnig, Austria, 7:40.02 (FB)
Good morning! Mum-of-three Helen Glover is the headline attraction at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium today as four more rowing finals are held.
Glover, who won pairs gold in 2012 and 2016 and was Team GBs flagbearer in Paris with diver Tom Daley, is targeting a third Olympic title in the womens fours alongside Rebecca Shorten, Esme Booth and Sam Redgrave at 11.50am (10.50am BST).
There is also British representation in the womens double sculls final in the form of Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne and Rebecca Wilde at 11.18am (10.18am BST), while David Ambler, Freddie Davidson, Matt Aldridge and Oliver Wilkes contest the mens fours final at 12.10pm (11.10am BST).
In a sport that has already been rich in drama and emotion this Olympics, success for Glover would represent yet another pinch-me moment. The 38-year-old spent four-and-a-half years away from the sport after the conclusion of the 2016 Olympics in order to raise a family – and few thought she would ever get back in a boat – at least not competitively.
We have been so spoilt over the years when it comes to rowing success that there is perhaps a tendency to assume gold will be a formality, but after Team GBs best ever start to an Olympics at France 2024, expectations are, unreasonably, high.
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