Tokyo 2020 Olympics

GB rowers’ week of woe ended with yet more disappointment – and the first Games without a gold medal since 1980.After Vicky Thornley became the SIXTH GB boat to succumb to the “curse of fourth”, the defending champion men’s eight could only finish third behind New Zealand and Germany.
Team GB’s men’s eight won the bronze medal after finishing behind New Zealand and GermanyCredit: AFP
It was Britain’s second and final medal in rowing at Tokyo 2020Credit: Reuters
Rio 2016 silver medallist Vicky Thornley came fourth in her women’s single sculls finalCredit: AP
Despite the second medal of the regatta, it was a poor end to a miserable week, with the reaction of the crew telling its own story.
And the nightmare at the Sea Forest Waterway could have a massive long-term financial effect on one of Team GB’s best funded sports.
Two-time Olympic champion James Cracknell said on BBC commentary: “We got three golds and two silvers in Rio. 
“We come away from Tokyo – after £27million worth of investment in British rowing – with one silver and one bronze.
“At a time when the national budget is under pressure from so many areas, is that a good investment?”
Starting in lane five, GB including only flagbearer Mo Sbihi of the crew that won in Rio, were in the race from the start, headed only by Germany at the 500m mark.
By half-way, though, New Zealand were in front, with GB just 0.07secs behind and Germany third.
The British crew of Josh Bugakski, Jacob Dawson, Tom George, Sbihi, Charlie Elwes, Oliver Wynne-Griffith, James Rudkin and Tom Ford, coxed by Henry Fieldman, had no answer as the Kiwis pushed clear in the third 500m.
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And as they battled to stay in the frame, they were also overtaken by the Germans, holding on for bronze.
It meant they did add to the silver won in the quad scull.
But that represented a terrible performance from a team that had topped the rowing medals table for the past three Games.
Indeed, GB had taken at least one gold in every Olympics since 1984, standing just two gold medals behind leaders USA and East Germany.
But the retirement of long-standing coach Jurgen Grobler and a stack of experienced rowers took a heavy toll as the team significantly under-achieved to face a major effort to retain their lottery funds.
Earlier, Thornley, who partnered Katherine Grainger to silver in Rio, became the latest and last of the fourth place finishers in the single scull, behind New Zealand’s Emma Twigg.

Thornley wanted to be in the race by the half-way mark but found herself fifth through the first 500m, 1.51 seconds behind Twigg.
She looked as if she might drop to the bottom of the pile but with 500m to go it was clear she was locked in a scrap for third with Austria’s Magdalena Lobnig.
Thornley gave it everything in the final burst but was not able to close the gap and finished a third of a length behind the Austrian, with Hanna Prakatsen of Russia second.
Harry Leask, Angus Groom, Tom Barras and Jack Beaumont claimed the silver medal in the men’s quadruple sculls which was Britain’s best resultCredit: PA
Team GB’s Polly Swann breaks down in tears while discussing Helen Glover’s amazing career More

HELEN GLOVER had a special message for her kids after her Olympic comeback ended in an agonising fourth place.The inspirational rower failed to make a medal-winning comeback on her return from becoming a mum.
Helen Glover and Polly Swann finished fourth in the women’s coxless pair final at Tokyo 2020Credit: Getty
Glover delivered a passionate speech to kids after she and Swann came up short
The 2012 and 2016 pairs champ and new partner Polly Swann have always had their backs against the wall at the Sea Forest Waterway.
New Zealanders Grace Prenderghast and Kerri Gowler, who have looked the class act from the start of the regatta, set a world and Olympic record in the semis yesterday.
And as the Kiwi pair rowed away from the field again, Glover and Swann saw their bronze hopes fade and die as they could not haul back the fast-starting Canadian boat as Russia took silver.
It was a dose of hard reality for Glover, 35, who took time out of the sport after her Rio gold with Heather Stanning, having three kids with TV presenter hunny Steve Backshall while her boat partner returned to her role in the Army.
Addressing her children Logan, Kit and Willow, Glover added: “They’re sometimes up at this time in the morning so they might be watching now.
“I love them so much, they’ve been my inspiration. I never saw myself getting back in a rowing boat until they came along. You can do anything you want to do.
“Trying and failing is not a problem, as long as you try. All the parents who have supported me on the way, thank you for your messages.”
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The three-time world champion only announced she was coming back to the water in January, making the task of landing a third successive Olympic crown unlikely.
And so it proved although it was the Canadian boat, in lane one, who flew off the start.
The Canadians led at 500m with GB third behind New Zealand and were still ahead of the same pairings at the half-way mark.
But New Zealand, with both rowers also part of the eight, came through to take the lead in the third quarter of the race as Glover and Swann lost third place to the Russian boat.
As Russia tried to hunt down the leaders, Glover and Swann were hoping that the Canadians would fade to allow them into the top three.
It was not to be, with GB finishing a length and a half off the Canadians.
Glover told BBC: “I’m pleased that we put everything on the line. We knew it was going to be a really big final to be in.
“Getting here was a tough route. We knew that if we crossed the line having spent everything. Looking back on the way we got here, we’re pleased with that result. It shows a lot of our hard work.”
And emotional Swann then remarked: “I think we always knew in the Olympic final people were going to go out hard.
“We thought we might have a bit more of a buffer but it wasn’t to be.

“The way we have attacked this project has been really exceptional and I couldn’t be prouder of her and what we’ve done together, it’s been a special ride.”
But while Glover and Swann could have no complaints, there was pure heartbreak for the lightweight double scull of Emily Craig and Imogen Grant as they missed out on a medal by just ONE HUNDREDTH of a second.
The pair led through the first 500m but looked to be rowed out by a Dutch attack and closing sprints from Italy and France.
But as Italy pushed through in the final 50m, the Dutch, defending champions from Rio, literally stopped rowing two strokes from the line.
It appeared that Grant and Craig had taken third, with the Dutch in despair, but a photo-finish went against the Brits by maybe three inches.
And Vicky Thornley produced an excellent row to reach the final of the single sculls, although Emma Twigg of New Zealand of New Zealand looks unstoppable.
Thornley, who won silver with Katherine Grainger in Rio, kept her form and composure to finish second behind the Kiwi in the semi and looks set to contest the silver and bronze medals with Russia’s Hanna Prakatsen and Austria’s Magdalena Lobnig.
Emily Craig and Imogen Grant missed out on a bronze medal by by just one HUNDREDTH of a secondCredit: PA
Team GB duo Craig and Grant were just pipped to the finish line by Holland
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