Men's quad sculls rewarded for bravery with rowing silver

Rowing 28 Jul 21

Team GB won a men’s quadruple sculls medal for the first time in Olympic history after coming home second to take silver for the first rowing medal of Tokyo 2020.

Harry Leask, Angus Groom, Tom Barras and Jack Beaumont held their nerve to make history on the Sea Forest Waterway, stopping the clock in 5:33.75 in one of the most dramatic races of the meet.

Gold went to the Netherlands while Australia won bronze, with they and fourth-place Poland within a second of the British boat.

The Team GB quartet produced a flying start from the unfavoured lane one and were rewarded for their bravery, going out hard and leading the race in the opening stages to earn their place on the podium.

The British boat was out in front at both the 500m stage, clocking a time of 1:22.65 for their first split, and the 1000m mark where they were timed at 2:46.89.

But by the time they rowed past the 1500m marker, the Netherlands had made their move and the British boat, which went past with the clock at 4:10.59, were 0.35 seconds behind the eventual gold medallists.

Team GB eventually finished 1.72 seconds adrift but crossed the finish line 0.22 seconds ahead of the Australians to secure a silver medal.

Delighted Beaumont revealed he was beaming with pride at his crew's stunning achievement.

"We're hugely proud. We've worked so hard," said Beaumont.

"We've been part of a rowing team that's had huge success, a huge tradition of British rowing. But in our sculling team, there's a tradition of being in the shadows a little bit.

"We've built on years of hard, hard work and near misses, just missing out, and I'm so proud to get this silver medal."

Groom revealed the team had built confidence up over the years while overcoming injury struggles.

"We've had a really consistent squad over the past couple of years and that's been the focus of the season for us," he said.

"Same stroke, day in, day out and it just really builds confidence and builds belief.

"Men's sculling, it's no secret, we've had our problems with injuries over the years. We've kept fully healthy over the past 18 months and that's really made a difference."

Leask and Barras reflected on the sprint finish, an area where they have come unstuck before.

"It's much easier from my perspective because I could see everyone," said bow Leask.

"Coming into that last 350, I could see everyone right there and see where we were ahead.

"It was unbelievable but the rush to just get that home... I couldn't believe we were sat there for that long."

"It was just head down, belief, belief, belief," added Barras.

"There have been so many races for all of us where we've just been nipped through in that last sprint, but we really believed in each other we could got across that line and we did."

Team GB had finished fifth in the event at both London 2012 and Rio 2016 and Groom paid tribute to members of the squad past and present.

"We have had history over the years and there have been some phenomenally quick British quads," he said.

"We've just come a little bit unstuck at the Olympics. There's been so much work building up to this, long may it continue.

"These medals are a thank you and they're as much down to people like Charles Cousins (2012 Olympian), Sam Townsend (2012 and 2016 Olympian), Alan Campbell who got his Olympic medal in London.

"Pete and Jonny this Olympiad too, even John and Graeme in the double. They've all been part of this quads project building over the last five years. These medals are as much for them as they are us." 

The men's quad sculls has been part of the Olympic regatta at every Games since first being introduced at Montreal 1976.