The Gold Medalists from the U.S. Women’s 8 boat (Courtesy of Allison Frederick/US Rowing)
The United States defended its title and finished first for the second consecutive Olympics in an exciting women’s eights final at the Eton Dorney Rowing Centre on Thursday morning. With the win, Ivy League grads Caryn Davies (Harvard ’05), Esther Lofgren (Harvard ’09), Susan Francia (Penn ’04), Caroline Lind (Princeton ’06) and Taylor Ritzel (Yale ’10) all won Gold. The USA was challenged primarily by Canada and its Ivy contingent of Andreanne Morin (Princeton ’06), Lauren Wilkinson (Princeton ’11) and Ashley Brzozowicz (Yale ’04) put together a Silver medal showing.
The American boat jumped out to a slight lead over the Netherlands and Canada at the 500 mark and then really seemed to dig in and build the lead over the next 1,000. Canada tried to make a push down the stretch but the American boat held steady and won gold for the second Olympics in a row in a time of 6:10.59. The Canadians took silver (6:12.06), while the Netherlands finished with the bronze (6:13.12). Tess Gerrand (Yale ’10) and the Australian boat placed sixth (6:18.86).
Canada’s Women’s Eight Silver Medalists (Courtesy of Rowing Canada)
As part of the USA women’s eights boat in 2008, Davies, Francia and Lind all earned a second consecutive Gold. Having also claimed Silver with the USA women’s eights at the 2004 Athens Games, Davies secured her third consecutive Summer Olympic medal. Prior to Davies, the last Ivy alum to medal in three consecutive Summer Olympics was Frederick Morgan Taylor (Dartmouth ’25). Morgan Taylor, a 400-meter hurdles specialist, captured gold in that event at the 1924 Paris Games and followed with a bronze in 1928 in Amsterdam and a silver at the 1932 Los Angeles Games. Davies is the first female Ivy graduate to medal at three consecutive Summer Games.
The Ivy League medal count is now up to nine (five Gold, four Silver). NBC will broadcast a tape delay of the rowing action from 2:20 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. and then possibly as part of its primetime broadcast from 8:00 p.m. – midnight. Complete results are here.
Read More about the W8+ Final:
USA Women Golden At Dorney
‘An American Dynasty, baby’
U.S. women’s eight celebrates gold medal by throwing coxswain into the water (PHOTOS)
It’s Gold Again for the United States Women’s Eight
Don’t forget, Caryn Davies is also attending Columbia Law School. Another Ivy for the win!
Pingback: Medal Update | iviesinlondon2012
Pingback: Kathy Delaney-Smith’s Olympic Diary – Final Week | iviesinlondon2012