The new ‘Oarsome Foursomes’: Australia DOMINATES the rowing with gold medals in both the men’s and women’s races – ending a 12-year Olympic curse of losing to the Brits
Australia has dominated in the coxless four rowing with both the men’s and women’s teams taking home gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics.
The Aussie men’s crew went head to head with rivals Great Britain who had taken out gold in the event at the last five Olympic Games.
Australia had finished second best to the Brits for the past three Games and all eyes were on the green and gold to break the 12-year curse.
Following closely behind the Aussie men was Romania with Italy taking home the bronze.
The Australian men’s crew of Alex Purnell, Spencer Turrin, Jack Hargreaves and Alex Hill made it a golden rowing double on Wednesday morning after the women topped the podium in the same event in the previous race.
The women’s coxless four event had returned to the Olympic stage after a 30-year absence with the Australian crew of Rosie Popa, Lucy Stephan, Annabelle McIntyre and Jessica Morrison rowing to gold.
The Australian men’s four have rowed to a gold medal during a nail-biting final at the Tokyo Olympics (pictured is team Alexander Purnell, Spencer Turrin, Jack Hargreaves and Alexander Hill)
While Australia won gold in the men’s four in 1992 and 1996 to earn the Oarsome Foursome tag, Great Britain had won the event at every Olympics since.
Great Britain came in at fourth place on Wednesday morning and will say goodbye to their gold medal reign.
Australia’s women have followed in the footsteps of the great Oarsome Foursome to win gold in the coxless four at the Olympic Games
Australia had earlier won their heat in five minutes and 54.27 seconds – the fastest time from Saturday’s heats.
Great Britain had rowed in at five minutes and 55.36 in the heat, and Italy behind at five minutes and 57.67.
Australia and Great Britain are the only countries to win gold in the coxless four event since 1992.
The Aussie team had been carrying the legacy of the ‘Oarsome Foursome’ which was the crew that took out gold in the 1992 Olympics.
Australia had finished second best to the Brits for the past three Games and all eyes were on the green and gold to break the 12-year curse
The boat consisted of now rowing legends Nicholas Green, Drew Ginn, James Tomkins and Mike McKay.
Ahead of the event Hargreaves said he and his team tried not to let the pressure affect them.
‘Everyone knows the Oarsome Foursome so there is a bit of pressure there,’ he said.
‘But we don’t really feel it.
‘Great Britain have pretty much owned the event since 2000 so it would be awesome to get one over them.’
A typhoon in Japan had nearly thrown out the event altogether but fortunately for the Aussies the race went ahead.
The Australians held off the fast-finishing Netherlands crew while Ireland won bronze.
The world champions set an Olympic record with their heat performance, moving into the final on Wednesday as gold medal favourites.
And they lived up to their top billing, leading from start to finish, although the Dutch came at them in the closing stages lifting their stroke rating.
Australia crossed the line in an Olympic best of six minutes 15.37 seconds, with the Netherlands 0.34 seconds behind.
The women’s coxless four, which made its first and last appearance at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, replaces the lightweight men’s four in this year’s program as part of a push for gender equality.
The Australian men’s crew of Alex Purnell, Spencer Turrin, Jack Hargreaves and Alex Hill made it a golden rowing double on Wednesday morning after the women topped the podium in the same event in the previous race