CARLO COCK
TuksRowing’s Matthew Brittain, Lawrence Ndlovu, John Smith and James Thompson claimed South Africa’s third gold medal at the London Olympics on Thursday 28 July. The quartet finished in a winning time of 6:02.84 in the men’s lightweight four 2 kilometre race.
The South Africans, in lane five, came from fourth place with 500m to go powering past Great Britain, Australia and Denmark to hit the line first in a photo finish. Only 1.21 seconds separated South Africa in first from fourth-placed Australia after 2000 metres of gruelling rowing.
Conditions were difficult with a strong crosswind and the South Africans, despite reaching the final, were not expected to spoil the British party. Despite that they managed to stay within touching distance of the lead and pounced when it was too late for the Brits or Danes to recover. They were in second place, 1.49 seconds behind Denmark after the first 500m, before Britain went past them, leaving them in fourth at the 1000m and 1500m stages, but they were never more than 2.45 seconds behind the leaders.
The win meant team South Africa had claimed its third gold medal of the Games following the heroic exploits of Chad le Clos and Cameron van der Burgh in the swimming pool. This means South Africa has already equalled its best gold medal haul at a post-isolation Olympics. This was also the country’s first rowing medal since Donovan Cech and Ramon DiClemente won bronze at the Athens Games in 2004.
The tributes poured in from all quarters, with the most celebrated Olympic rower of all time, Sir Steven Redgrave, saying: “For them to come from behind, with all that effort and win South Africa’s first rowing gold medal was incredible.”
On the TuksSport website Kobus van der Walt, TuksSport Director, said: “It was an incredible performance. They kept their cool and came through when it mattered most. We are extremely proud of them and they will be treated as heroes on their return.”
The magnitude of the achievement was not lost on the rowers either. Ndlovu, who took up the sport at school, told AFP of the enormity of winning South Africa’s first Olympic rowing title. “Rowing is big in schools but otherwise financially it’s an expensive sport,” he said. “So this gold will be good for South Africa’s rowing community and help give it a better image.”
With several of South Africa’s medal prospects such as LJ van Zyl, Caster Semenya and Khosto Mokoena still to compete in their events, London 2012 could yet be the country’s most successful Olympic Games ever.
Photo: www.supersport.com
