Katherine Copeland and Sophie Hosking eased through their Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls semi-final in fine style earlier today.
The pair came from behind to clinch the first, and the fastest, semi-final in 7.05.90 from world champions Greece who finished over three seconds behind in 7.09.01.
Not earmarked as obvious medal material coming into the Games, they are a relatively recent pairing and Hosking said: “Having been a multiple World Cup and Word Championship medallist it has been my aim to reach the Olympic final, but I didn’t underestimate the task.”
Copeland, evidently delighted with making the final, added: “I was thinking only this morning that I didn’t even know whether I was going to get into the doubles this year and now I’m racing an Olympic final. It’s unbelievable really.
“To begin with, I thought it would be good to be in Rio (2016), but, nothing beats this.
“We just needed to get to the final and now we can just enjoy it. When we’re relaxed that’s when we’re the best.”
The pair are in finals action on Saturday in Final A at 11:50.
Team GB men’s rowing Four of Alex Gregory, Tom James, Pete Reed and Andrew Triggs-Hodge also booked their place in Saturday’s final.
The quartet (pictured) finished in 5:58.26 – almost a second ahead of their Australian rivals.
The second semi-final was won by the US contingent, but it will be Australia posing the biggest threat in Saturday’s final.
After the Four came the Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls with Zac Purchase and Mark Hunter securing their place in the final.
The duo won their semi-final in a time of 6:36.63 ahead of French pair Stany Delayre and Jeremie Azou.
Today’s semi-finals success means all 13 British boats have made it through to their finals.
Britain also has four boats in tomorrow’s finals: the women’s double scull, featuring double World Champoins Katherine Grainger and Anna Watkins, the men’s pair of George Nash and Will Satch, the men’s quadruple scull of Tom Solesbury, Charles Cousins, Matt Wells and Stephen Rowbotham and Alan Campbell in the men’s single scull.
Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
