Imogen Grant and Emily Craig clinched gold for Team GB in the women’s double sculls at the 2024 Paris Olympics Games on Friday morning.
The duo agonisingly finished fourth at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, but hit back today to clinch yet another medal in the rowing in Paris.
The pair missed out on a spot on the podium in Japan by a matter of 0.01 seconds with the Craig and Grant using the heartbreaking result to fuel their desire to claim a gold medal in the French capital.
Team GB’s rowers have excelled in Paris over the last few days, with Lauren Henry, Hannah Scott, Lola Anderson and Georgina Brayshaw sealing a sensational victory the women’s quadruple sculls on Wendesday.
Helen Glover, Esme Booth, Sam Redgrave and Rebecca Shorten also clinched silver on Thursday in the women’s coxless four on Thursday as Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne and Becky Wilde took bronze in the women’s pair earlier in the day.
Team GB’s medal haul in the rowing now stands at two bronze medals, two silver and two gold across both the men’s and women’s competitions, showcasing the excellent start the Brits have had at the Games.
After banishing their ghosts from the Tokyo games, a jubilant Grant and Craig held their arms aloft, celebrating their victory before embracing on the jetty.
Romania, who have clinched four medals in rowing at the Games came second, with Greece snatching the final spot on the podium.
The British pair’s victory came after Oliver Wynne-Griffith and Tom George clinched silver in the men’s double earlier on Friday morning.
Craig had considered giving up on rowing following the Tokyo Games, stating that it had taken her some time to get back into the sport.
‘Tokyo was going to be a fantastic fairytale in that we would win a gold medal in the country whose art I love but it turns out fairytales don’t happen. There’s a lot of art in Paris though,’ Craig told BBC Sport prior to today’s race.
‘It took until February the next year until I was sure I wanted to come back and give it another go,’ she added.
‘I think for both of us going away, finding value in ourselves, away from sport, was quite important to come back feeling refreshed and attack it with a new attitude.’
Grant, meanwhile, is set to start her first job as a doctor in the coming days.
‘As soon as the Olympics is finished, I’m going to be starting my foundation years in the Oxfordshire Deanery,’ she said to the BBC.
‘It’s my first foundation year… you do a few different placements in medical wards, in the community and some surgical rotations as well. I’m not going to lie, I’m a bit terrified but ultimately this is something I’ve been working towards for many years.’