SKILLS & SCULLS

TEAM GB basked on Wonder Wednesday at the Olympics in Paris, grabbing two golds, one silver and two bronze.

- JEREMY ARMSTRONG

Alex Yee's late surge won the men's triathlon for Britain, and 15 minutes later the nation had a rowing gold to cheer in a photo finish in the women's quadruple sculls.

After he overcame the world's best, the Seine's currents and the searing heat, Yee, 26, was overcome by emotion when mum Emma congratulated him by saying: "I love you." His dad Ron, 62, said: "He knew he was 13 seconds down but did not panic. He waited to strike for the line.

"When we saw him, his first words were, 'Sorry I put you through that"." On his son breaking down in tears, Ron added: "His mum said, 'I love you. No other words needed, really."

Ron, from Brockley, South London, added: "We only took him to triathlon training to try and burn his energy.

"Now he is Olympic champion, I just cannot comprehend it." There were more tears after Britain's rowing quartet of Lola Anderson, 26, Georgina Brayshaw, 30, Lauren Henry, 22, and Hannah Scott, 25, pipped the Dutch to take gold.

Anderson then broke down as she spoke about a tender moment with her late father Don.

She recalled writing in her diary when she was aged 13 that she wanted to win the Olympics.

Anderson, from Richmond, South West London, threw the page away but her dad found it in a wastepaper basket and years later, on his deathbed, he handed it back to her, urging her to fulfil her dream. She described it as his "parting gift".