Great Britain delivered a dramatic finale to the rowing events at the Paris Olympics, capturing a thrilling gold medal in the men’s eight just moments after the women’s team secured a bronze. The impressive performances on the last day of competition helped Britain achieve a record eight medals at an overseas Games, their best tally since the London 2012 Olympics. This marks a notable turnaround from the Tokyo Games, where they managed only two medals.

In the men’s eight final, the British crew, comprising cox Harry Brightmore, bow seat Sholto Carnegie, and teammates Rory Gibbs, Morgan Bolding, Jacob Dawson, Charlie Elwes, Tom Digby, James Rudkin, and Tom Ford, engaged in a fierce battle with the Netherlands over the 2,000-meter course. The lead changed hands several times before the British boat surged ahead decisively in the third quarter. Despite a determined push from the Dutch crew, Great Britain held their ground, finishing with a time of five minutes and 22.8 seconds, 1.08 seconds ahead of their rivals.

As they crossed the finish line, the men’s team celebrated their victory with an emotional embrace. Rudkin’s pre-Games motto, “One engine, one machine,” rang true as the crew added the Olympic gold to their collection of world and European titles.

The final day’s successes contributed to Great Britain’s impressive tally of three golds, two silvers, and three bronzes in Paris, placing them second in the overall medal standings behind the Netherlands. This achievement highlights a remarkable recovery from their two-medal performance in Tokyo and underscores the strength and resilience of British rowing on the world stage.