Trailblazer Glover denied at the last in bid for third gold

Coxless four pipped on line as Team GB claim three medals

- JAMIE BRAIDWOOD

Helen Glover's bid to win a third Olympics gold medal and add another sensational chapter to her trailblazing rowing career ended in heartbreak as Great Britain lost out to the Netherlands in a thrilling finish in the women's coxless four. There were bronze medals for Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne and Becky Wilde in the women’s double sculls, as well as the Great Britain men’s coxless four.

While Glover claimed her third Olympics medal after returning to rowing for the second time and as a mother of three, the Great Britain team were left devastated as Netherlands won gold by just 0.18 seconds. The women’s four of Glover, Esme Booth, Sam Redgrave and Rebecca Shorten were previously unbeaten in 2024 coming into the Olympics, and were favourites for gold after winning the European Championship in May.

Glover, who won gold in the women’s pair at London 2012 and Rio 2016, returned to rowing for the second time ahead of Paris 2024. The 38-year-old announced her comeback inspired by a mission to “push the boundaries” for mothers in sport, having given birth to her first son, Logan, in 2018, followed by twins Willow and Kit in January 2020.

Handed the honour of carrying Great Britain’s flag along with Tom Daley at last week’s opening ceremony, Glover represented a talismanic figure for Team GB’s rowing squad as they looked to return to form at the Olympic regatta at Vaires-sur-Marne. Tokyo brought no gold rowing medals for Great Britain at an Olympics for the first time since 1980 but hopes were high for further improvement after gold in the women’s quadruple sculls on Wednesday.