There were three more medals for Team GB on Day Six of the Paris 2024 Olympics as rowing took centre stage with Andy Murray’s career coming to an end after he lost in the men’s doubles alongside Dan Evans.
Great Britain have a great history in rowing at the Olympics and flag bearer Helen Glover was bidding to become the first British woman to win three gold medals in the category in the women’s four.
The 38-year-old was joined by Esme Booth, Sam Redgrave and Rebecca Shorten as they looked to follow in the footsteps of the women’s quadruple sculls team that won gold on Wednesday.
It became a nail-biting fight with the Netherlands to the finish with the lead changing hands repeatedly in the final 200m.
Andy Murray lost alongside Dan Evans in the quarter-finals
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But Team GB were edged out by the Dutch for gold as Glover and co had to settle for silver.
“We put it all out there,” said Glover.
“We raced the plan we wanted to race, we raced together. We raced with so much heart and I think there can’t be regret at looking back and not thinking you did all you can.”
There was more success in the water as Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne and Rebecca Wilde produced an impressive display to clinch bronze in the women’s double sculls.
And there was a third rowing medal of the day when the men’s four edged ahead of Italy to claim bronze.
A fourth medal of the day was expected in the men’s kayak single final with Joe Clarke putting himself in prime position to do so.
The five-time world champion controversially missed out on selection in Tokyo and was fastest in the semi-finals in Paris.
But he agonisingly finished 0.95 seconds shy of the bronze medal position after getting bogged down around the seventh gate.
The women’s four won silver in an enthralling race
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“It’s hard to put into words,” Clarke said.
“I don’t think I did too much wrong, just a couple of mistakes. That was an immense final. The time differences are so finite and it’s hard to beat yourself up when it’s so close. I didn’t crumble under the pressure, I kept a clean run, so it’s hard to suggest.”
But it was at Roland Garros where Britain waved goodbye to one of its greatest-ever athletes as Murray’s career came to an end.
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Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne and Rebecca Wilde won bronze in the double sculls
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The three-time major winner had performed remarkable comebacks alongside Dan Evans in the previous two rounds of the men’s doubles draw.
However, Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul proved one test too far for the British duo as they lost in straight sets.
Murray and Evans held back tears as the two-time Olympic champion waved farewell on court one final time.