British squads will once again be lighting up the bet apps and sportsbooks with more athletes advancing to the finals. In the sport of rowing, both the men’s and women’s eight teams have earned a spot to compete for a medal in Rio. The men’s quadruple sculls team has also moved forward into what will likely be a thrilling final event.
As the most recent heats finished up, the women’s and men’s eight teams from Britain were both the winners of the race. In fact, the men’s team led from the start and put on a dominant display that is sure to leave an impression on their competitors.
The women’s eight rowing team actually held a third-place spot when their race reached the halfway point, but they flourished afterwards and finished strong to beat out both New Zealand and Canada for the top spot. Fans can expect to see exciting stakes in bet apps over the next few days.
In the quadruple sculls event for men, Team GB’s squad that included a late replacement for Graeme Thomas responded under pressure and finished second to Germany, earning their own spot in the finals and reassurance for Thomas’ substitute, Jack Beaumont. Thomas suffered an illness when arriving in Rio and could not compete.
Pete Reed is a two-time Olympic champion who previously won as part of the men’s four squad. Currently a member of the eight squad, he remarked on his confidence for the finals but how things can quickly change. “I cannot wait to race in the final,” says Reed. “The desire is still there. It’s burning inside.”
The women’s eight kept their drive going to ultimately come through in first, says British rower Polly Swann. She added that “we just held our heads and I’m so proud of the way we’ve come out here with a bang and set ourselves up for the final.”
When the men’s quadruple sculls team competed in their heat, anything other than a finish in the top two spots would have seen them eliminated from medal contention. Understanding the weight that was on their shoulders, all four rowers took on the challenge. Their efforts paid off in a second-place finish and a chance for a gold medal.
John Collins and Jonathan Walton will be advancing to the semi-finals in the men’s double sculls repechage. They finished first in their race. Bulgaria took the second-place sport and Serbia came in third.
Unfortunately, the day for Team GB was not all good news. Katherine Copeland, a reigning Olympic champion, and her rowing teammate Charlotte Taylor failed to move beyond the qualifiers in the women’s lightweight double sculls. However, this duo has another chance to improve their performance when they compete in the double sculls repechage on on Tuesday, August 9th.
An opportunity is still outstanding for another women’s rowing pair. Heather Stanning and Helen Glover, both Olympic champions, will start their quest for another medal later on Monday, August 8th, in hopes of repeating their past success.