A medical staff member came to the doctor’s tent situated by the water and offered to transport Rory Gibbs to the medal podium in a wheelchair. The pursuit of gold often leads athletes through grueling experiences, yet Great Britain’s men’s eight team can affirm that the struggle is entirely worthwhile.
The final 250 meters were the toughest. Team GB surged ahead in rowing’s premier race, but that’s when their forearms tightened up, and the lactic acid felt as heavy as concrete. Their coordination faltered, oars splashed against the water, and doubt crept into their minds.
Jacob Dawson articulated this numbing sensation: ‘You go numb, your brain becomes liquid and feels as though it could spill out of your ears,’ he said, proudly wearing his hard-earned medal.
Britain’s powerful crew finished the Olympic regatta with Team GB’s eighth and last medal, stopping the clock at 5 minutes 22.88 seconds.
However, the burn struck just 40 seconds in. They steered their boat for slow yet powerful strokes, staying close to their main competitors, Holland. They reached a peak speed of 14 miles per hour—faster than any other event in the rowing division—only to find their breath fleeting away.
GB’s men’s eight stormed home at Paris 2024 to add the Olympic title to world honours
Morgan Bolding, Sholto Carnegie, Jacob Dawson, Tom Digby, Charlie Elwes, Tom Ford, Rory Gibbs and James Rudkin withstood challenges from the Netherlands and the United States
In a tight race halfway through, it became as much an internal struggle as a contest against their opponents. Saliva sprayed from their mouths as their bodies cried out for hydration, but isotonic drinks awaited them at the finish line, along with their team doctor, Ann, who is also the wife of Steve Redgrave.
‘Our cox was yelling at the top of his lungs through four very loud speakers,’ Morgan Bolding recalled. ‘I couldn’t hear much, but we were all in it together. We locked into our pace as quickly as we could, and from there, it was survival of the fittest. We must have summoned some energy in the third 500 because we were neck and neck at the one-kilometer mark. I nearly ground to a halt in the final 10 strokes and thought, “I hope someone else is pulling because I’m finished”.’
Their hearts raced to 185 beats per minute—about three times the normal rate—while their sugar levels plummeted, leaving them with a metallic taste that paled in comparison to the sweetness of gold. Redgrave and her medical team termed it metabolic acidosis; a condition brought on by hyperventilation due to oxygen deprivation, clouding their ability to think and breathe effectively.
‘My ears were popping; my senses were completely out of whack,’ Gibbs reported. ‘You’re so numb that you hardly grasp what’s happening, and frankly, you don’t care. The men’s eight is such a dominant boat, operating like a single entity. Adrenaline boosts your energy. With 500 meters remaining, I was highly charged. But just 250 meters later, I was completely spent. You reach a standstill. It’s quite an exhilarating sensation.’
The tailwind, adrenaline, and the roar of the crowd propelled them across the finish line. Smaller boats skim past the finish like pebbles, but these athletes moved with the gravitas of a Viking longboat. Some were in tune with their surroundings, releasing a primal howl, while others succumbed to sheer exhaustion.
The Team GB superstars secured the gold medal in five minutes 22.88 seconds
At the back of the boat, cox Harry Brightmore leaped from his seat and tossed his cap into the air. ‘I was overwhelmed with emotion as soon as I heard the buzzer,’ he said. ‘I stood up to see everyone’s faces; I wanted to fully absorb that moment with each one of them.’
In the temporary stands, British Rowing officials exhaled in relief. The memories of Tokyo, where they won just two medals, faded away, and the cycle of renewed funding was virtually secured, following the team’s most successful outing since London 2012.
The families of Tom and Emily Ford had even more reason to celebrate. The siblings had begun rowing together in school, and here Emily secured a bronze in the women’s eight just minutes before Tom raced in the men’s event. ‘We saw it on the big screen while warming up,’ Tom shared. ‘I took a quick break from warming up to celebrate a bit, then it was back to focus.’
‘Now we can all celebrate as a family. Our coach, Steve Trapmore, won gold in Sydney and made sure every member of his winning crew sent us a video message for inspiration. The moment was incredibly emotional. Everyone in the room was in tears. It’s a brotherhood, and the teammates we’ve gone through this with are like brothers for life. That passion and drive showed on the water.’
They cooled off with a few ice pops before stepping up to accept their medals.
‘It was pure bliss,’ Gibbs said. ‘In the medical tent, I felt like I was at a spa, with my feet up, a cold cloth on my forehead, and someone handing me a banana. I was offered a wheelchair, but I thought that would seem a bit excessive. I’m not sure my body could keep going. Every race this season has left me half-dead at the finish, and I think this was probably the end for me. I’ll always be proud of this, but I doubt I can push myself that hard ever again.’
Once the blood flow back to his heart stabilized, every bit of pain felt justified.
