It was a double gold day for Canada as the Pan Am rowing regatta wrapped up in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The women's quad took its race in 7:42.62 in a nail-biter that saw the U.S. finish second in 7:43.17 and Argentina in third in 7:50.29.
"I am so proud of our race today - the conditions were very difficult but we kept our cool. If we took a bad stroke, we stayed relaxed and got it together right away for the next stroke," said Edmonton's Zoe Hoskins. "All four of us in the boat were in it to win, and when it came down to those last strokes we were not going to let the U.S. take it from us."
Hoskins also picked up silver the other day in the women's pair, and two of her crew mates took silver in the women's double yesterday.
"It's sweeter to stand in the middle (at the medal ceremony), and it feels even better to win when it's a tight race," said teammate Peggy Hyslop of Kamloops, B.C. Who also picked up a silver medal yesterday in the women's double.
The quad at this regatta is Zoe Hoskins, Nathalie Maurer (North Vancouver, BC), Cristin McCarty (Saskatoon, Sask.) and Peggy Hyslop.
The lightweight men's four of Andrew Borden (Toronto), John Haver (Saskatoon, Sask.), Adam Reynolds (Ottawa, Ottawa RC), and Paul Amesbury (Ottawa, Ont.) also took gold. Canada's time was 7:02.90, followed by the U.S. in 7:03.81 and Cuba in 7:04.55. - Brazil just missed out on the medals, finishing in 7:04.59.
"It was an amazing race," said Borden, who won a silver rowing medal in the lightweight men's double at the 1999 Pan Ams in Winnipeg. "The water was very choppy in the first 750 metres, but we fought that off and gradually increased our pace and it was enough to keep the edge. This will be one for the memories!"
The medal ceremony for the men was delayed for almost two hours by a protest from the Americans, who claimed that Canada impeded their race. However, the race was deemed clean and Canada was awarded its gold medal.
"I knew the U.S. was going for gold and in any international event it can be wide open, but I had trust our training and I knew they were going for it," said coach Pat Newman. "Even before they went out on the water, it was clear that they were ready to race. The protest was a little nerve-wracking, but in the end the outcome of today was very rewarding."
In the end, each of Canada's rowing athletes picked up at least one medal at these Games. Rowers picked up three gold, two silver and two bronze medals in Brazil.
"This was my first experience to stand there and see the flag raised," said Nathalie Maurer, a double medalist. "It's exhilarating."