Helen Glover’s comeback to the Olympic waters has shown promising signs in the women’s four final, hinting that her third gold medal may soon be within reach.
On a warm, sunny day at Vaires-Sur-Marne, British crews excelled by winning three out of five heats, a refreshing change from the persistent rain of Saturday. The likelihood of a successful summer appears tangible, with Emily Craig and Imogen Grant dominating the women’s lightweight double sculls, while Ollie Wynne-Griffith and Tom George made a strong impression in the men’s pair.
“I couldn’t ask for more than to be in this position with three incredible teammates; I feel so lucky,” Glover stated, as her crew prepares to enter Thursday’s final as the favorites. The 38-year-old, who is a mother of three, rows with Esme Booth, Sam Redgrave, and Rebecca Shorten. At the halfway mark, they seemed to be engaged in a tight race with New Zealand and China, but ultimately pulled ahead, with Shorten driving a remarkable pace and finishing just over a length ahead of the Kiwis.
Glover, who clinched gold in the women’s pair in both 2012 and 2018, showcased her iconic status by carrying the flag with Tom Daley during Friday’s opening ceremony. She expressed how this honor has energized her preparations. “It has provided me with an enormous boost,” she remarked. “You tend to walk a bit taller and prouder. It’s not something I anticipated.”
The team is peaking at the right moment. They were crowned European champions in April, and Glover is confident that their hard work is yielding results when it matters most. “We’ve all been consistent, resilient, and prepared, and I believe that pursuing the long game has paid off,” she noted.
Craig and Grant demonstrated why they are the ones to beat in the last Olympic competition for their category. They narrowly missed a medal in Tokyo but triumphed over Greece in their heat by more than two lengths here, achieving an unbeatable pace in the middle kilometer and maintaining it throughout. They aim for a similarly strong performance in the semi-final on Wednesday.
“I felt we performed well and enjoyed moving ahead of the other crews,” Grant reflected. “We’ve had a great six weeks, and it’s thrilling to think we’ve genuinely improved. We’ve executed some impressive training pieces, and depending on the conditions, I believe we’re ready.”
Earlier in the morning, the European champions Wynne-Griffith and George overcame an early challenge from Germany and could relax in the final 500m against a capable South African pair. They too will compete in a semi-final in three days. “I think we executed it quite well,” George commented. “We understood that others would surge ahead; it is the Olympics, after all. We remained composed, but there’s always room for improvement. You don’t want to have a perfect race during the heats.”
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The highly-rated men’s four, featuring Oliver Wilkes, David Ambler, Matt Aldridge, and Freddie Davidson, advanced to their final, also scheduled for Thursday, but had to settle for second place behind a formidable New Zealand in their heat. As world and European champions, they have faced a disrupted preparation heading into Paris 2024 and hope any initial rustiness has been shaken off.
In the women’s pair, Chloe Edwards and Rebecca Brew, regarded as underdogs for a medal, finished fourth and last in the first heat involving a British team. They will need to compete again in Monday’s repechage.
