Ford siblings make history, landing medals on same day

As schoolchildren, Tom and Emily Ford once rowed in the four alongside their older brothers John and Ed for the Grange School. Given that half that boat would go on to become Olympic medallists at Paris 2024, you’d assume that they would have been absolutely unbeatable, and yet all the talent did not quite come together.

- PAUL EDDISON

Emily recalled: “We’ve been out with our two older brothers in the four before and it wasn’t very good from memory. There were no arguments but it didn’t quite gel.” Thankfully for the duo, that was absolutely not the case on the final day of the Olympic regatta at the Stade Nautique in Vaires-sur-Marne, as Emily was part of the women’s eight that won bronze before older brother Tom helped the men’s eight to gold 20 minutes later.

In doing so, they made history, the first brother and sister to win medals at the same Olympic Games for Team GB since 1908 – matching the exploits of archers William and Lottie Dod in London 116 years ago. And both siblings were quick to pay tribute to the part their parents, Paul and Christine, had played in getting them to this point.