There was Olympic heartbreak for Belfast rower Rebecca Shorten who had to settle for silver in a thrilling Women’s Fours Final.
The Great Britain and Northern Ireland team of Shorten, Helen Glover, Esme Booth and Sam Redgrave took silver, losing out on the line to the Netherlands by just 0.14 of a second.
The British boat recorded a time of 6.27.31, two seconds ahead of the New Zealand four that claimed bronze.
Great Britain’s Helen Glover, Esme Booth, Sam Redgrave and Rebecca Shorten after claiming silver in the Women’s Rowing Four
“We all would have been very happy with gold. That’s what we were going for but we’ll take silver,” Shorten said.
“The boat felt very together and it felt like we were doing it.
“The crowds are amazing. It’s incredible to compete in front of them. I’ve been trying to look up and find my family but it’s hard because it’s so busy.
“Even though the it was so loud, I heard every word of the plan. We gave it everything.”
Her team-mate Sam Redgrave (no relation of Olympic legend Sir Steve) added that missing out on gold was “all a bit of a shock”.
Belfast rower Shorten joined the Imperial College Boat Club while studying Sports Science at Roehampton University. Her determination led to her joining the GB Rowing Team in 2017, making her Olympic debut in the Women’s Four in Tokyo. She has won both World and European gold since then.
The result came just minutes after Banbridge’s Philip Doyle and partner Daire Lynch won bronze for Ireland in the men’s double sculls.
Banbridge rower Philip Doyle (left) and double sculls partner Daire Lynch celebrate their Olympic bronze medal win. (Photo By Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)