丷兦_銗錵圜

Tom James, Steve Williams, Pete Reed and Andrew Triggs Hodge (Photo credit: Wang Lei/Xinhua)

(BEIJING, August 16) -- Great Britain won gold in the Men's Four to end the first day of Rowing medal races in Shunyi. Their time of 6:06.57 put them 1.28 seconds ahead of second-place Australia and gave Britain its third consecutive Olympic gold in the event. Third place went to France who finished in 6:09.31.

Australian was in the lead for most of the race, holding a half-second edge over Britain at the 1500m mark. But Britain showed why it one of the most dominant Rowing nations in history with a 500 meter sprint that clinched the seventh Rowing gold of the day.

France was in fourth place until the three-quarter mark, but passed Slovenia in the final stretch to nab bronze.

1. Great Britain -- Tom James, Steve Williams, Pete Reed, Andrew Triggs Hodge, 6:06.57

2. Australia -- Matt Ryan, James Marburg, Cameron McKenzie-McHarg, Francis Hegerty, 6:07.85

3. France -- Julien Despres, Benjamin Rondeau, Germain Chardin, Dorian Mortelette, 6:09.31

4. Slovenia -- Tomaz Pirih, Rok Rozman, Rok Kolander, Miha Pirih, 6:11.62

5. Czech Republic -- Jan Gruber, Michal Horvath, Milan Bruncvik, Karel Neffe, 6:16.56

6. Germany -- Marco Neumann, Richard Schmidt, Urs Kaeufer, Gregor Hauffe, 6:19.63