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Britain’s men’s coxed eights rowers stormed to victory to record their eighth gold of the games

The team led from start to finish of the trademark race to win by half a length

Rowing

TEAM GB'S men's coxed eight rowers stormed to gold by half a length to get their eighth gold medal of Rio 2016.

Going in lane three, the World Champion eights led from the start and managed to hold off their big German rivals in the neighbouring lane under glorious blue skies.

 Members of Team GB celebrate winning the gold in stunning fashion in Rio
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Members of Team GB celebrate winning the gold in stunning fashion in RioCredit: Getty Images
 Team GB's men's eights stormed to victory this afternoon
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Team GB's men's eights stormed to victory this afternoonCredit: Reuters

It marks an huge improvement from the past two Olympics, as the men's eight won Bronze in Beijing 2008 and silver at London 2012.

Andrew Triggs Hodge and Pete Reed won their third gold after winning two coxless four golds in Beijing and London, while the other seven team members including cox Phelan Hill all won their first Olympic gold.

 The World Champion men's eight won gold just minutes after the women won a historic silver
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The World Champion men's eight won gold just minutes after the women won a historic silverCredit: Getty Images
 Britain led throughout and finished well clear of Germany, who took silver, and the Netherlands, who claimed bronze.
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Britain led throughout and finished well clear of Germany, who took silver, and the Netherlands, who claimed bronze.Credit: Getty Images

It is Britain's third gold medal of the rowing competition, and Team GB have now won eight golds in Rio and lie third in the overall medal table, one ahead of Japan.

Team GB finish top of the rowing medals table with five golds, one fewer than at London 2012 and British Rowing's men's head coach Jurgen Grobler said: "There are no secrets.

"Hard, hard, work, having vision of what is coming up and running a good training programme - and they're still having fun."

 

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