Showdown ends for Olympic bronze rowers
Success on the Water: The German women's double scull wins the bronze medal at the Olympic Games. After setbacks and struggles, the team is fit in time. For the German Olympic team, it's the third podium finish after two golds.
The German women's double scull won the bronze medal at the Olympic Games. The crew, led by strokewoman Pia Greiten, delivered a strong final sprint in the rowing stadium of Vaires-sur-Marne and secured the first medal of the Summer Games for the German Rowing Federation (DRV), behind Britain and the Netherlands. This is the third podium finish for the German Olympic team in Paris, after two golds.
Greiten, Leonie Menzel, Tabea Schendekehl, and Maren Voelz built on the previous successes of the women's double scull. Before Paris, there were six golds, the last one in Rio 2016, and one silver and bronze each. The DDR's four won in 1988. Since the boat class was introduced to the Olympic program 36 years ago, the long-standing successful boat has only missed out on a medal once, in Tokyo.
Despite a challenging season with illness-related absences and setbacks, the women's team presented itself in excellent form in time for the Olympic final. Thanks to a strong final sprint, they fended off the attacks of the other competitors and secured third place.
Men miss out on surprise
Earlier, the men's double scull missed out on a surprise in the final. Strokeman Moritz Wolff, Tim Ole Naske, Max Appel, and Anton Finger finished fifth with a clear gap, but the quartet was not among the medal contenders in Paris. The long-standing successful boat, in different lineups, had won gold at the Summer Games in Rio and London.
The German Rowing Federation (DRV) is competing in seven of the 14 Olympic boat classes in Paris and is hoping for two medals. The men's pair with Julius Christ and Soenke Kruse failed to reach the semi-finals, and the men's double scull missed the final on Tuesday. The Germany eight, as well as top favorites Oliver Zeidler and Alexandra Foster, will compete for a place in the final on Thursday. The DRV finished the Tokyo Games with two silver medals.
The German women's double scull's bronze medal at the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris adds to their impressive record, extending their streak of podium finishes. In preparation for the upcoming Olympic Games 2024 in Paris, the German rowing team is aiming to secure more medals, striving to build upon their previous successes.
