History's Greatest Olympian
At the Sydney Olympics in 2000, the British straight four of Matthew Pinsent, Tim Foster, Steven Redgrave, and James Cracknell crossed the line less than a half-second ahead of a charging French crew, and edged into the history books. Redgrave capped a 20 year elite rowing career in which he won gold at five consecutive Olympic Games.
Upon rowing to the awards dock after the pairs final at the Atlanta Games, Redgrave was quoted as saying, "If you ever see me near a boat again, shoot me," and announced his retirement from the sport. However, it wouldn't stick, and after a few months he had assembled a straight four crew consisting of stroke Matthew Pinsent, Tim Foster, Redgrave, and bow James Cracknell. With the exception of 1999, when Foster was replaced temporarily by Ed Coode, and a single race in early summer 2000, this crew went almost undefeated for the entirety of the Olympic quadrennium. (In the Lucerne World Cup race, the formerly invincible four took fourth place, out of the medals, to the New Zealand, Norwegian, and Italian squads. This race, the last before the Olympic Games, came as quite a shock, and many in the rowing world began to question whether someone (possible Steve) was slowing the boat.)
Redgrave announced his retirement after the Sydney Games at the age of 38, and this time, he "really means it." His five gold medals in five Olympics has never been equalled in an endurance event, and only a Hungarian fencer who collected six golds from 1932 to 1960 has more.
Results
- 2000 Sydney Olympic Games M4- 1
- 2000 Rowing World Cup – Lucerne M4- 4
- 2000 Rowing World Cup – Vienna M4- 1
- 2000 Rowing World Cup – Munich M4- 1
- 1999 Rowing World Cup - Hazewinkel M4- 1
- 1999 Rowing World Cup – Vienna M4- 1
- 1999 Rowing World Cup – Lucerne M4- 1
- 1999 FISA World Rowing Championships M4- 1
- 1998 Rowing World Cup – Lucerne M4- 1
- 1998 FISA World Rowing Championships M4- 1
- 1997 Rowing World Cup – Paris M4- 1
- 1997 Rowing World Cup – Munich M4- 1
- 1997 Rowing World Cup – Lucerne M4- 1
- 1997 FISA World Rowing Championships M4+ 1
- 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games M2- 1
- 1995 FISA World Rowing Championships M2- 1
- 1994 FISA World Rowing Championships M2+ 7
- 1994 FISA World Rowing Championships M2- 1
- 1993 FISA World Rowing Championships M2- 1
- 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games M2- 1
- 1991 FISA World Rowing Championships M2- 1
- 1990 FISA World Rowing Championships M2- 3
- 1989 FISA World Rowing Championships M2- 2
- 1988 Seoul Olympic Games M2+ 3
- 1988 Seoul Olympic Games M2- 1
- 1987 FISA World Rowing Championships M2+ 2
- 1987 FISA World Rowing Championships M2- 1
- 1986 FISA World Rowing Championships M2+ 1
- 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games M4+ 1
In the above, M2+ is the coxed pair, M2- is the straight pair, M4+ is the coxed four, and M4- is the straight four.