It took the efforts of former PE teacher Helen Glover and Heather Stanning, a Royal Artillery captain, to win Team GB a first gold medal at the London 2012 Olympics.
The pair led from the start the closest rival to the pair was at the half-way stage and it was New Zealand's pair, who like the rest, were well back.
The noise of the crowds at Eton Dorney, which included the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry, increased the closer to the finish line Glover and Stanning came and with 500 metres to go they appeared to have annihilated the rest of the field.
The length of their lead shortened in the final moments as they realised victory was assured but they still crossed the line in under 7 minutes at which point they both punched the air and embraced in the boat.
Australia sneaked into the silver medal position with New Zealand taking bronze.
While Britain is known for its supremacy in rowing, gold has always been the reserve of the men. With victory today Glover and Stanning have become the first British women to win an Olympic gold medal in rowing.
It caps a brilliant year for the pair who have won gold at all three World Cup events this season and cantered through the heats in an Olympic record time of just under 7 minutes.
Before today's race, Glover had said:
"This is our lake."
After the race, Stanning said:
"I'm absolutely shattered and absolutely ecstatic all at the same time...I want to collapse but I'm just so overjoyed, I just want to jump around at the same time. I'm probably talking rubbish now."
She also added that,
"We could see from all the races we've done this season, we've got out ahead and stayed there and tried to push on the margin,"
"That's exactly what we tried to do today."
"We wanted to keep the same margin we've had in all the World Cups."
Glover who appeared to be smiling in the last quarter of the race, said:
"It was probably a grimace. I don't remember smiling because I remember never ever ever thinking we've got this."
And she concluded that,
"If I can do it, just take the chance - not just rowing, anything,"
"If you work hard, and try your best absolutely anyone can do anything."
The noise of the crowds at Eton Dorney, which included the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry, increased the closer to the finish line Glover and Stanning came and with 500 metres to go they appeared to have annihilated the rest of the field.
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| Prince Harry cheering the pair to GB's 1st Gold |
Australia sneaked into the silver medal position with New Zealand taking bronze.
While Britain is known for its supremacy in rowing, gold has always been the reserve of the men. With victory today Glover and Stanning have become the first British women to win an Olympic gold medal in rowing.
It caps a brilliant year for the pair who have won gold at all three World Cup events this season and cantered through the heats in an Olympic record time of just under 7 minutes.
Before today's race, Glover had said:
"This is our lake."
After the race, Stanning said:
"I'm absolutely shattered and absolutely ecstatic all at the same time...I want to collapse but I'm just so overjoyed, I just want to jump around at the same time. I'm probably talking rubbish now."
She also added that,
"We could see from all the races we've done this season, we've got out ahead and stayed there and tried to push on the margin,"
"That's exactly what we tried to do today."
"We wanted to keep the same margin we've had in all the World Cups."
Glover who appeared to be smiling in the last quarter of the race, said:
"It was probably a grimace. I don't remember smiling because I remember never ever ever thinking we've got this."
And she concluded that,
"If I can do it, just take the chance - not just rowing, anything,"
"If you work hard, and try your best absolutely anyone can do anything."
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