TOKYO — Canada ended American dominance in the women’s eight and New Zealand won a pair of gold medals Friday on the final day of rowing at the Tokyo Games.
Canada’s start-to-finish victory in the women’s eight ended a run of three consecutive Olympic gold medals for the U.S. The Americans were dropped by the leaders at the start and never recovered in a fourth-place finish.
Emma Twigg of New Zealand won gold in the women’s single sculls after finishing fourth at the London Games in 2012 and in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. She looked back over her shoulder as she approached the finish, then paddled a few extra strokes just to make sure she was clear.
The Kiwis matched Twigg’s gold in the men’s eight, holding off Germany by 0.96 seconds in a sprint to the finish. The U.S. men finished fourth, meaning the American rowers leave the Sea Forest Waterway without a medal.
Stefanos Ntouskos of Greece made a strong closing burst over the the final 250 meters to win the men’s single sculls.
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