Women's Eight (W8+)

In its preliminary heat, the USA women held the lead for 1000 meters, then lost it in the last 1000 and placed a disappointing third. The USA were silver medalists behind ROM last year at Worlds, and expected to match that or do better in Sydney. Today, the USA moved out again on the field in the first 1000, and had a half length lead over CAN and AUS at the 1000, and a little more over BLR and GBR at that point. Then the USA move stopped, and both CAN and AUS started creeping back in both the 3rd and 4th 500's . The USA held on tenaciously as its lead dribbled away and CAN and AUS came at them. In the end the USA beat CAN by a few feet, and beat AUS by a quarter length. BLR, as expected, finished 4th to move on to the FA final with USA , CAN and AUS. The crew from GBR is the unlucky one and was eliminated from further Olympic competition. Take a look at the colorful graphic Instant Replay on this race to see CAN and AUS closing on the USA in the last 1000 meters.

LANE CREW RELATIVE POSITIONS                      ELAPSED   SPLIT  
                            1500*           CREW   TIME     TIME   
         ---+---+---+---+---+---+  
  5  BLR <BLR                                USA  1:31.87  1:31.87
  4  CAN  <CAN                               BLR  1:32.19  1:32.19
  3  AUS  <AUS                               CAN  1:32.50  1:32.50
  2  USA <USA                                AUS  1:32.81  1:32.81
  1  GBR    <GBR                             GBR  1:34.18  1:34.18
         ---+---+---+---+---+---+
                            1000*
         ---+---+---+---+---+---+
  5  BLR    <BLR                             USA  3:06.27  1:34.40
  4  CAN   <CAN                              CAN  3:07.61  1:35.11
  3  AUS   <AUS                              AUS  3:08.05  1:35.23
  2  USA <USA                                BLR  3:08.91  1:36.72
  1  GBR     <GBR                            GBR  3:09.94  1:35.76
         ---+---+---+---+---+---+
                            500 *
         ---+---+---+---+---+---+
  5  BLR    <BLR                             USA  4:42.39  1:36.11
  4  CAN  <CAN                               CAN  4:43.35  1:35.73
  3  AUS  <AUS                               AUS  4:43.63  1:35.57
  2  USA <USA                                BLR  4:45.36  1:36.44
  1  GBR       <GBR                          GBR  4:47.44  1:37.49
         ---+---+---+---+---+---+
                          FINISH*
         ---+---+---+---+---+---+
  5  BLR    <BLR                             USA  6:17.26  1:34.86
  4  CAN <CAN                                CAN  6:17.61  1:34.26
  3  AUS  <AUS                               AUS  6:17.72  1:34.08
  2  USA <USA                                BLR  6:19.42  1:34.05
  1  GBR        <GBR                         GBR  6:23.45  1:36.01
         ---+---+---+---+---+---+

Copyright 2000. Kent Mitchell. Result 329.
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