Lightweights Top the Podium!
Ahh at long last! After an eight year Lightweight men's gold medal drought the U.S. is again on top of the World heading to this years 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. The U.S. rowed well to advance directly to the final after defeating Italy by nearly 7 seconds in their heat and posting the fastest time of the regatta despite crossing the 500-m mark in second place.
Their start in the Grand final was equally modest, but base speed proved to be the truth-maker as they rowed through the Italians and the Dutch by the 1500-m to win gold by over a second. This is the first time any U.S. Lightweight man has topped the podium in eight years since the 1999 and 2000 World Championships when they won back to back titles.
They now will travel to Beijing to join the rest of the Olympic rowing squad, which arrived last week, in hopes of making the grand final in the lightweight men's four. The U.S. has not made the grand final in this event since the Sydney Olympics in 2000, in which they finish sixth, and have not medaled in the event since its inception in 1996, when they placed third.
Their start in the Grand final was equally modest, but base speed proved to be the truth-maker as they rowed through the Italians and the Dutch by the 1500-m to win gold by over a second. This is the first time any U.S. Lightweight man has topped the podium in eight years since the 1999 and 2000 World Championships when they won back to back titles.
They now will travel to Beijing to join the rest of the Olympic rowing squad, which arrived last week, in hopes of making the grand final in the lightweight men's four. The U.S. has not made the grand final in this event since the Sydney Olympics in 2000, in which they finish sixth, and have not medaled in the event since its inception in 1996, when they placed third.
