New Zealand’s double sculls team, Francis and Spoors, have won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The final race lineup included Norway in lane 1, Great Britain in lane 2, New Zealand in lane 3, Romania in lane 4, the Netherlands in lane 5, and France in lane 6. The Romanians, who were also competing in the eight-man race, started strong. They raced quickly, but Great Britain took an early lead at the 500-meter mark, followed closely by Romania, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.
As the race continued, New Zealand began to gain speed, overtaking the Netherlands. By the halfway point, Romania had moved into the lead, with Great Britain in second place.
However, Francis and Spoors of New Zealand were closing in fast and soon overtook the British team.
With only 500 meters left, New Zealand held the lead. Both the British and Romanian teams tried to catch up, but Francis and Spoors maintained their position.
“I’m not going to lie, it’s been a tough, long build back. I also think of our families, our partners… the whole Rowing NZ team.”
In the final 100 meters, Romania made one last push, but it was not enough to overtake New Zealand. Francis and Spoors crossed the finish line first, securing the gold medal for New Zealand.
“Honestly, I still can’t believe it, but I definitely I’ve watched so many people win Olympic gold medals,” Francis said. “Silver in Tokyo was special, but gold is something else.”
