Helen Glover MISSES OUT on third straight Olympics gold medal in women’s coxless pairs final

Helen Glover MISSES OUT on third straight Olympics gold medal after finishing fourth despite strong race in women’s coxless pairs final with Team GB team-mate Polly Swann

Helen Glover just missed out on a third Olympic gold medal in as many Games after finishing fourth in the women’s coxless pairs final with Polly Swann.

The Team GB duo started the race well but ultimately a lack of top speed cost the 35-year-old a comeback medal at the Tokyo Games alongside her 33-year-old team-mate.  

Glover and Swann – who finished third in Wednesday’s semi-final – recorded a time of six minutes 54.96 seconds at the Sea Forest Waterway.

Helen Glover (back) just missed out on a third Olympic gold medal in as many Games

The 35-year-old finished in fourth position with Team GB team-mate Polly Swann (right)

The 35-year-old finished in fourth position with Team GB team-mate Polly Swann (right)

But they were beaten to the podium positions by gold medallists Grace Prendergast and Kerri Gowler from New Zealand, the Russian Olympic Committee who won silver and Canada duo Caileigh Filmer and Hillary Janssens claiming the bronze.

Glover, who won coxless pairs gold in London nine years ago and at Rio 2016, only returned to training in 2020 following almost four years out of the boat after starting a family. 

Glover insisted she was ‘pleased’ with their performance, telling BBC Sport: ‘Right now I’m pleased we put everything on the line.

‘We knew it was going to be really big, a big final to be in. Getting here was a tough route and so we knew when we crossed having spent everything.

They were beaten to the podium positions by gold medallists Grace Prendergast (R) and Kerri Gowler from New Zealand

They were beaten to the podium positions by gold medallists Grace Prendergast (R) and Kerri Gowler from New Zealand

‘Looking back on the way we got here, I think we are pleased with that result. It shows a lot of our hard work.’

Swann meanwhile added: ‘We probably thought we might have a bit more of a buffer at the front end, but I guess it wasn’t to be.

‘I think the way we have attacked this project has been really exceptional. I couldn’t be prouder of her [Glover] and what we have done together,’ a tearful Swann added.

The Russian Olympic Committee finished second while Canada's Caileigh Filmer and Hillary Janssens (above) won bronze

The Russian Olympic Committee finished second while Canada’s Caileigh Filmer and Hillary Janssens (above) won bronze

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk