ROWERS GIVE U.K. ITS FIRST GOLD AT GAMES
Glover and Stanning triumphant
That it was here at the rowing basin that God Save the Queen was played for the first time of these Olympics — well, the anthem was actually shouted, by a roaring crowd of 25,000 — was perfectly fitting. Dorney Lake is located on the grounds of storied Eton College and there was royalty in the grandstand — Princes Wil- liam and Harry, back on their old stomping grounds — to see Helen Glover and Heather Stanning win Great Britain’s first gold medal in the women’s pairs. The pair led the race from start to finish, the medal seemingly never in doubt.
Neither woman was even rowing when the Olympics were held in Beijing. Glover, a pure novice, took up the sport after those Games were over; Stanning, who had rowed previously, had just signed up with the British Army, where she’s now a captain with the Royal Artillery.
Her unit is now in Afghanistan and she expects to re-join them next month.
Yet they managed, as Stanning said Wednesday, to “put together our dream race” before a home crowd at the moment it mattered most.
Their victory did reveal a wee flaw in the Games, which have run so smoothly thus far. The podium dock — where the Olympians come dipsy-doodling up in their boats to receive their medals and flowers — is on the opposite side of the basin from the massive crowds who faithfully show up here every day.
There appears no obvious reason why it couldn’t be set up on the other side, away from stands filled with TV cameras, photographers and journalists — few of whom ever cheer, that being frowned upon as unprofessional — and instead allowing the athletes to enjoy their moment in the sun.
These are paying customers who walk about four kilometres just to get to the venue, then line up, uncomplainingly, for as long as 45 minutes to get past security. And there they were, their country’s first gold medal firmly in hand, and all the fans saw of the winning duo were their backs.
Glover and Stanning obviously realized it quickly, and several times turned around to briefly wave across to the crowd. But the victory ceremony is protocol-driven, and the women couldn’t do it often out of politeness. Given that the British rowers, who also won a bronze at the rowing basin Wednesday, are expected to account for a good share of the country’s medals, this may qualify as a glitch worth fixing.