#TBT: 10 Years Ago Today Matt Pinsent Won His Fourth Olympic Gold—in Dramatic Fashion



Yesterday we celebrated a historically great duo in the Abbagnale brothers of Italy with our Video Of The Week. Today, we take a look back into the archives once again: On this date in 2004, one of the defining races of the Athens Olympics, and of Matthew Pinsent's glittering career, took place at Schinias Olympic Rowing and Canoeing Centre. The above video gives an inside look at that Olympic final, which, fittingly, came down to the last stroke. While GB crew had no shortage of household names in rowing, the Canadian crew included three-time Olympian (and two-time medalist) Jake Wetzel. In one of the most dramatic Olympic finishes in the history of our sport, the two crews traded slight leads throughout the final 500 meters of the race, with Great Britain eventually winning the day by 0.08 seconds.

In the words of Wetzel, "That 0.08 seconds is 10 years of experience. That's what Matthew Pinsent had that we didn't have." Along with his Canadian national teammates, Wetzel found that extra gear in 2008, winning Olympic gold in the men's eight.

-RR

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