DORNEY, England, Aug 1 (Reuters) – The victory by Britain’s
Heather Stanning and Helen Glover to secure the country’s first
Olympic gold in a women’s crew follows years of heavy funding,
an impressive talent programme and some training tricks from
their much-loved coach.

Robin Williams’ methods included getting the pair to row
with their eyes closed to get a better feel for the boat and
placing a rubber bungee cord under the boat to increase the drag
and resistance.

DORNEY, England (Reuters) – Britain’s Helen Glover and Heather Stanning stormed to victory in the women’s Olympic rowing pair on Wednesday to give the host nation their first gold of the London Games in front of Princes William and Harry and 25,000 screaming fans.

In the last race of the day, the German men’s eight held off a strong early challenge from Britain and a late charge from defending champions Canada to win the blue riband event in a thrilling sprint for the line.

DORNEY, England (Reuters) – Britain’s Helen Glover and Heather Stanning stormed to victory in the women’s Olympic rowing pair on Wednesday to give the host nation their first gold of the London Games in front of Princes William and Harry and 25,000 screaming fans.

In the last race of the day, the German men’s eight held off a strong early challenge from Britain and a late charge from defending champions Canada to win the blue riband event in a thrilling sprint for the line.

DORNEY, England (Reuters) – Britain’s Helen Glover and Heather Stanning stormed to victory in the women’s Olympic pair on Wednesday to give the host nation their first gold medal of the London Olympics in front of 25,000 screaming fans.

The win by clear water in front of members of the British royal family was also the first Olympic gold medal to be won by a British women’s crew.

DORNEY, England, Aug 1 (Reuters) – Britain’s Helen Glover
and Heather Stanning stormed to victory in the women’s Olympic
pair on Wednesday to give the host nation their first gold medal
of the London Olympics in front of 25,000 screaming fans.

The win by clear water in front of members of the British
royal family was also the first Olympic gold medal to be won by
a British women’s crew.

DORNEY, England (Reuters) – Hamadou Djibo Issaka, the novice rower from Niger who has emerged as an unlikely hero at the London Olympics, vowed to improve on Tuesday after finishing last again and posting an even worse time than before.

The 35-year-old has won near-cult status with the mostly British crowd in his three races so far. On Tuesday, the commentator urged him on as he lagged the field by 300 meters on the 2,000 meter course, and finished 28 seconds slower than in his previous race.

DORNEY, England, July 31 (Reuters) – Hamadou Djibo Issaka,
the novice rower from Niger who has emerged as an unlikely hero
at the London Olympics, vowed to improve on Tuesday after
finishing last again and posting an even worse time than before.

The 35-year-old has won near-cult status with the mostly
British crowd in his three races so far. On Tuesday, the
commentator urged him on as he lagged the field by 300 metres on
the 2,000 metre course, and finished 28 seconds slower than in
his previous race.

DORNEY, England (Reuters) – Niger’s Hamadou Djibo Issaka, the novice rower who has earned comparisons to the slow swimmer Eric “The Eel”, vowed to improve on Tuesday after again finishing last in an Olympic semi-final that was some 28 seconds slower than his previous race.

Djibo Issaka has won huge support from the mostly British crowd in his three races at the Olympic regatta, with the commentator encouraging him down the course on Tuesday as the 35-year-old lagged the field by 300 meters on the 2,000 meters course.

DORNEY, England, July 31 (Reuters) – Niger’s Hamadou Djibo
Issaka, the novice rower who has earned comparisons to the slow
swimmer Eric “The Eel”, vowed to improve on Tuesday after again
finishing last in an Olympic semi-final that was some 28 seconds
slower than his previous race.

Djibo Issaka has won huge support from the mostly British
crowd in his three races at the Olympic regatta, with the
commentator encouraging him down the course on Tuesday as the
35-year-old lagged the field by 300 metres on the 2,000m course.

DORNEY, England (Reuters) – After the despair of a third straight Olympic silver at the last Games in Beijing, Britain’s Katherine Grainger was struggling to keep the smile from her face and the excitement from her mind after setting an Olympic best time in her heat on Monday.

Grainger believed she was finally going to land gold in 2008, only to see a Chinese crew row through her women’s quad in the final metres of the race.