Olympic champions Helen Glover and Heather Stanning can now call themselves world champions after a day where Britain won four medals in Amsterdam including the regaining of the men’s four title from 2011.
Glover and Stanning, who combined to win Britain’s first gold at the London 2012 Olympics, took the women’s pair title at the World Rowing Championships in the Netherlands in a global best time of 6:50.61 minutes.
It marked Glover’s second successive world title in the women pair after victory with Polly Swann last year while Stanning was serving in the army and she admitted to an altogether differing feeling in Amsterdam.
“This feels different to last year. Because of the history that Heather and I have, this win was more expected. Last year, with Polly, it was all very new,” said Glover.
“When Heather turned around to look at me, I was saying ‘thanks’. It is something I am really proud of.”
The men’s four of Alex Gregory, Mohamed Sbihi, George Nash and Andrew Triggs Hodge followed suit with an imperious victory ahead of the USA in silver and Australia in bronze.
Sandwiched in between the British men’s pair of James Foad and Matthew Langridge took silver after just six weeks in the boat together – and led New Zealand defending champions Eric Murray and Hamish Bond early on.
They were eventually overtaken though while the British men’s quadruple of Graeme Thomas, Sam Townsend, Charles Cousins and Peter Lambert missed out on gold to European champions Ukraine by just 0.09 seconds.
The quartet of success adds to the silver and bronze won in the men’s coxed pair and lightweight men’s pair respectively the day before and men’s four gold medallist Gregory was pleased to have delivered in Amsterdam.
“We were all pretty nervous before that one. We were unbeaten this season and we all knew we had to go out and perform,” said Gregory.
“We raced the USA in the semi-final and they did exactly the same thing. For us, it was all about keeping cool and calm and then to pull could away when we needed to.
“Moe made the call at just the right time and we all responded and the boat just flew.”
© Sportsbeat 2014