Team USA rowers earn first gold medal in men's four since 1960 Olympics
VAIRES-SUR-MARNE, France − Michael Grady bent down, bowed his head with a folded American flag under his right arm, closed his eyes, and did his best to contain the emotion.
It had been 64 years since Team USA had won the Olympic men's four rowing event, after all, so forgive him if the moment got the better of him. Grady, Nick Mead, Justin Best and Liam Corrigan rowed to gold Thursday at the Paris Olympics in the men's four finals with an incredible clocking of 5:49.03, holding off New Zealand (silver) by less than a second (5:49.88), and Great Britain (bronze, 5:52.42). And Grady just needed a minute to take it all in.
"I was trying to get back on my feet. There have been a lot of emotions that've gone through my head already. A few tears almost came out," Grady said. "I can say I held them back − not toxic masculinity or anything − but it's really an emotional moment to be able to represent the USA on the highest stage and walk away in the most successful position. Not a lot of people can say that."
With Mead in the bow position and Corrigan at the stroke, the group broke out to an early lead and never relinquished it, holding the lead at every 500-meter check of the 2,000-meter race. It was a measure of redemption, as the Tokyo Games in 2021 had marked the first Olympics rowing history that Team USA failed to win any medals. The gold is the first for the USA in the men's fours since the Rome Games in 1960. That wasn't lost on Grady, who mentioned the 64-year men's four drought in his post-race remarks.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/cycling/team-usa-rowers-earn-first-gold-medal-in-men-s-four-since-1960-olympics/ar-BB1r18fS
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