Vicky Thornley was left satisfied with a silver medal as Great Britain ended the World Rowing Championships with two more medals on the final day of competition.
An Olympic silver medallist alongside Dame Katherine Grainger in the double sculls last year, Thornley has switched to the single scull for 2017 and finished less than two seconds behind Switzerland’s Jeannine Gmelin, with Austria’s Magdalena Lobnig taking the bronze.
And there was more British joy in the men’s equivalent race as Tom Barras took bronze behind the Czech Republic and Cuba.
The women’s eight finished fifth in their final but it was Thornley – interviewed by former crewmate Grainger at the side of the lake in Sarasota, Florida – who took the day’s headlines.
“I gave my all and did what I said I would in the first half, in terms of staying in my boat but not letting them break away,” said the 29-year-old.
“And then I just didn’t have quite enough at the end. But a silver medal in the single is just amazing.
“I expected to have at least one more race this week, I thought there were going to be quarter-finals, so three in eight days isn’t too bad.
“I had four in Lucerne, in three days, earlier in the year. So there was a lot of time in between thinking of how to do things and rowing the race in my head.
“But it’s done now and I’m pretty happy with that result.”
Barras, 23, was making his debut at the senior World Championships having previously finished fifth in last year’s U23 Championships in Rotterdam.
Having won his heat and finished second in his quarter-final, he went on to win his semi-final before pulling to bronze in the final showdown.
"I am absolutely delighted with that," he said. "The whole regatta has been really good, executing the plans we've been working on in training."
Elsewhere the men’s eight and men’s double both won their B finals, to finish seventh overall.
Sportsbeat 2017
Pictures: Naomi Baker