Gold-medal redemption for Canadian men's eight.
The men’s eight rowing team finished the job they started four years ago by winning a gold medal on Sunday. Canada led wire-to-wire in the final race in Beijing. Canada finished in a time of five minutes, 23.89 seconds. The reigning world champions were seeking redemption for their crushing defeat in Athens in 2004, when they entered as medal favourites and finished fifth. The men's team consists of Ben Rutledge of Cranbrook, B.C., Kevin Light of Sidney, B.C., Malcolm Howard of Victoria, Andrew Byrnes of Toronto, Wetzel of Saskatoon, Dominic Seiterle of Victoria, Adam Kreek of London, Ont., and Kyle Hamilton of Richmond, B.C.
Canada's Ryan Cochrane swims to bronze.
Canada's medal drought in the pool is over. Teenager Ryan Cochrane won Canada's first Olympic swimming medal since 2000, taking bronze in the 1,500-metre freestyle Sunday in Beijing. The 19-year-old from Victoria finished third in a time of 14 minutes 42.69 seconds. It was Canada's first Olympic swimming medal since Curtis Myden captured bronze in the 400 individual medley at the 2000 Sydney Games. The last time Canada won an Olympic medal in the 1,500 free was in 1920, when George Vernot took silver in Antwerp.
Women's double sculls win bronze in photo finish.
Canadian women's lightweight double sculls rowing pair Melanie Kok and Tracy Cameron clinched the bronze medal on Sunday in a photo finish at Shunyi Olympic rowing park. Kok and Cameron finished in six minutes, 56.68 seconds, behind Kirsten van der Kolk and Marit van Eupen of the Netherlands, who won the gold, and Sanna Sten and Minna Niemenen of Finland, who took silver. The race came to such a close finish that the result was in doubt for several seconds before the Canadians realized they had beaten the Germans by 0.04 seconds.
Men's lightweight four win Canada's 2nd rowing bronze of the day.
The Canadian lightweight men's four won Canada’s second rowing bronze of the day in Beijing Sunday. The crew of Iain Brambell, Jon Beare, Mike Lewis and Liam Parsons finished in five minutes, 50.09 seconds at Shunyi Olympic rowing park. Canada used a late surge to grab a medal, and almost moved into second place in the final leg. The Canadian crew has had an emotional week, with their coach Bent Jensen fighting pancreatic cancer, and receiving chemotherapy treatments from the team doctor while in Beijing. The Canadian men won the bronze less than an hour after Canada's women's lightweight double sculls crew Melanie Kok and Tracy Cameron claimed the bronze.
