Rio 2016: Great Britain win two rowing golds at Rio Olympics as women’s pair and men’s coxless fours power to victory

BRITAIN’S ROWERS licked the opposition to win two golds in 20 minutes.

First Helen Glover, whose dad owns an ice cream parlour, and partner Heather Standing retained their women’s pair title in emphatic style.

Then the men’s four of Alex Gregory, Mohamed Sbihi, George Nash and Constantine Louloudis claimed Britain’s fifth gold in a row in the men’s four.
Golden girl Glover can now focus on her wedding next month to TV presenter Steve Backshall and said: ““I enjoyed that way more than London.
“We got a good start and at halfway I didn’t expect to be that far ahead, from then on it was about protecting the gold.
“Defending that title is really special.
“I’m going to get back and get wedding-ready.

“My mum has sorted the location so I know where it's going to be, we are going to be back in Cornwall where I grew up and it's going to have a nice local feel.
"My dad has got a family ice cream shop, so we'll be serving ice cream.
"That's all I know, to be honest, at the moment."

Alex Gregory, the only survivor of the four which won at London 2012, admitted that keeping the tradition going was a relief.
Especially after an encounter before the race with Sir Matthew Pinsent, the rowing legend who was in the boat with Sir Steve Redgrave, James Cracknell and Tim Foster when Team GB’s run began at Sydney 2000.
Gregory said: “Matthew was in the boating area and he looked nervous.

“We were carrying the blades down and he gave us a look as if to say: ‘Don’t mess this up.’
“At least that is how I interpreted it.
“It was our perfect race. I wouldn't change a stroke.”