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Helen Glover missed out on a third Olympic title as Great Britain were agonisingly edged out in a dramatic women’s four final at Paris 2024.
The mum-of-three, who won pairs gold at London 2012 and Rio 2016, took four years out of the sport before the Tokyo Olympics and 12 months off after those Games before deciding to come back for more.
Alongside Rebecca Shorten, Esme Booth and Sam Redgrave, the 38-year-old helped the British crew gradually close the gap on the Netherlands after a fast start from the Dutch.
It was anyone’s race with 500 metres to go with the two crews neck and neck, and Britain looked as if they would just get the upper hand as they pushed for glory.
But the Netherlands held on to cross the line in six minutes 27.31 seconds – 0.18secs ahead of the British boat.
Great Britain men’s four followed up immediately with a bronze medal.
The quartet of Oli Wilkes, David Ambler, Matt Aldridge and Freddie Davidson produced a patient race, coming right through most of the field after a watchful start.
The British crew swept past Italy 800 metres from home into third place, eventually settling for bronze with the United States taking gold and New Zealand silver.
Earlier the women’s four secured the first British medal of the day with a bronze in the women’s double sculls.
Becky Wilde and Mathilda Hodgkins Byrne, in lane two, went out hard from the start and led at the 500m mark with Romania taking over by halfway.
New Zealand eventually moved into pole position for gold to edge out Romania, but Wilde and Hodgkins Byrne staved off a late challenge from the Netherlands to take bronze.
It was quite an achievement for the pair to win medals as Wilde had surgery on her forearms 10 months ago and Hodgkins Byrne took time away from the sport after Tokyo 2020 to have her son Freddie, now two.
Hodgkins Byrne said: “Secretly to ourselves, we were determined to try and get on the podium and that’s what we’ve done.”
Wilde added: “Mathilda has been such a great woman to have in the bow. I have learned so much and I just know if I do my job, push as hard as I can, she will get me over the line.”
