There were two inspirations for Britain to win the men’s eights in the Olympic regatta today for the first time since 1912 and so crown the most exhilarating week-end for rowing that this country has ever enjoyed.

The first was the feat of Steve Redgrave, whose fifth successive gold medal here has been a titanic stimulus for the entire team across every sport. British competitors are now going into events proud of Redgrave’s place in the annals of the Games, proud of their country and so increasingly confident in their own ability. The eight benefitted today, as did the women’s quadruple sculls with their silver medal, the first by a British female crew in Olympic history.

The other inspiration was more poignant. Harry Mahon, who has shared in the final preparation of the eight with Martin McElroy, was diagnosed as suffering from cancer in 1997. His resilience and refusal to submit to the disease have provided an example for the eight in their less vital struggle of winning the Olympic title, the most highly-prized of the regatta.

After the ecstasy of their victory, with cox Rowley Douglas diving into the water as they crossed the 2000m finish line, bowman Andrew Lindsay, one of the most articulate of this immediately likeable crew, spoke with reverence of how Mahon had coaxed the crew to delve into their most profound physical resources to produce the necessary spirit to win the title.

Lindsay, a Scot, was educated at Eton and Oxford, where he got a First in Geography- thus demonstrating once again that physical and mental excellence are not mutually exclusive among competitors. Perched on a wooden rail after the final with the Australian sun tanning his 6ft 1.5in, 15 stone physique, he said that Mahon had told the crew that “they were far too well brought up. He wanted us to be effing and blinding”.

“If we had a poor start, he believed there was the reaction among the crew, 'Oh well, that is a bad opening'. There was not enough bite in our approach. He told us that instead of being sheep, we should go out like bulls.”

As an oarsman, who had been in the losing Oxford crew in three successive boat races against Cambridge crews, whom Mahon had helped with their preparation, Lindsay had previously had a natural wariness towards the 58-year-old New Zealander. And that is putting it politely.

However, Lindsay said: “Harry has been a complete inspiration. We look to him. If Harry is told he has a month to live, he looks for a year. If it is a week, then it is a month. He is a born fighter. He just shows how to live your life without worrying about things. What we did today was to fulfil a massive ambition for him.”

Since the 1912 victory, when Britain won not only the gold medal through the Leander club but also the silver medal with New College, Oxford, Britain have finished second five times in the eights, most recently against the drug-fuelled crews of East Germany in 1976 and 1980.

The crew responded to Mahon’s directions and were “growling” on the start-line. Another crew member, Simon Dennis, said he had never been so angry after they had lost to Australia in the heat, a repeat of the world championships last year when Britain were runners-up.

Michael McKay, a member of the Australian “Oarsome Foursome” who had won gold medals at the two previous Games and had switched to the eight for these Olympics, seemed bewildered by the loss. He said: “Britain were the crew to beat but we were the favourites. We thought we had a greater variety of ways to win the race. But we gave them too much of a lead and paid the price. Britain were very tough competitors as they have been all year.”

Redgrave told the British crew to think what the French had done in the coxless pairs by 'taking the race by the scruff their neck. They went with 750m. But in the eight you cannot leave it too late'.

By 1500m, the British had a 2.13sec lead over Croatia, their nearest rivals, with Australia a further 1.46 sec back in fourth place. Redgrave, watching in the grandstand, cried to his former rowing colleague, Dr Richard Budgett, another member of the victorious 1984 coxed four: “Budge, they have won.”

He was right. Although the Australians, their cox banging the side of the boat to urge them to greater efforts, attacked with concentrated determination, they could only get within 0.80sec of the British, who held that gap over the final 50m to record 5min 33.08sec.

Amid such euphoria, the historic achievement of the women must not be overlooked, because they contributed so memorably to the feeling of buoyancy as well as displaying similar fortitude as the men. They, too, led off the start and although they were overhauled by the Germans, they just held off the Russians by 0.001sec after officials had scrutinised the photo finish.

For Guin Batten, the race marks the end of such a distinguished career, in which she and her sister Miriam, another member of the successful crew, have been significant pioneers in the promotion of women’s rowing. Guin said: “We were really ecstatic when we finished because, as we waited, it did not seem to matter whether we had got the silver or bronze because we knew we had got something. However, when we heard we got the silver medal, it really did matter to us.”

Gillian Lindsay, another member of the crew, celebrated her 27th yesterday. “When we woke up no body said anything. I thought 'Everyone has forgotten my birthday'. But when we rowed back down the course after the race, everyone in the boat and people on the bank were singing Happy Birthday. Now I am waiting for my birthday present.”

For British rowing, the presents of three medals here have been of incalculable benefit to one of the most exacting and absorbing sports in these memorable Games.

JOHN GOODBODY
The Times