A recently implemented rule has allowed a Team GB star to become the first Olympian to win a medal in both men’s and women’s events.
Rowing has captured the heart of the nation during the 2024 Paris event, with Team GB celebrating its best-ever oversea games.
On the final day of the Olympic Rowing Regatta (August 3), the likes of Tom Digby, James Rudkin and Sholto Carnegie won gold in the Men’s Eight.
Meanwhile Heidi Long, Holly Dunford and co. collected a brilliant bronze—the second-ever GB medal in the event.
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Following the award ceremony, one of the women’s team members has found themselves being immortalised in Olympic history books, as sportsman Henry Fieldman became the first person to win a medal in both the men’s and women’s events.
But how did he do it?
Who is Henry Fieldman?
Henry Fieldman is a 35-year-old Team GB rowing coxswain.
He earned his first bronze Olympic medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the Men’s Eight and is also a two-time World Championships gold medalist.
On Friday, he won his second Olympic bronze while coxing Team GB’s Women’s Eight team.
He is therefore the first coxswain to stand on an Olympic podium with crews of both sexes.
What is a rowing coxswain?
A coxswain is an integral member of a rowing team and is the only one who doesn’t hold an oar.
Instead, they are responsible for issuing commands to their crew and for steering the boat by guiding its rudder.
Coxswains are also tasked with keeping their crew motivated in arduous situations and must have an eye on their opponent’s moves at all times.
According to Eugene Rowing Club, they’re the ‘brains of the boat’ and are utilised to execute strategy during races.
Why can Henry Fieldman compete in a women’s rowing event?
Before 2017 the World Rowing Federation commanded that coxswains must be the same sex as the rest of the crew.
However, the Federation later voted and an overwhelming majority elected to change the rule.
Coxswains are now able to be of any sex under World Rowing rules—hence Fieldman being awarded his bronze medal in the recent Women’s Eight.
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What did Henry Fieldman say about his achievement?
After receiving his second Olympic bronze medal, Fieldman said he knew ‘someone’ was going to do it after the World Rowing Federation changed the rules.
“They only changed the rule in 2017 so someone was going to do it and it just happened to be me,” he explained.
“It’s been a real joy, the honour of my life. Each stroke on average is harder [for the women than the men] and I’ve been super-impressed by them.
“They are a really supportive group. We’ve been through a lot of ups and downs and challenges.”
Who was on Team GB’s Women’s Eight team?
The eight women who made up the third-place rowing team were: Heidi Long, Rowan McKellar, Holly Dunford, Emily Ford, Lauren Irwin, Eve Stewart, Harriet Taylor and Annie Campbell-Orde while Fieldman serves as coxswain
The collective won bronze with a time of 5:59.51 in the final.
They came just behind Canada, (5:58.84) who took silver, and Romania (5.54.39) who became victorious by winning gold.
Following the event, Fieldman said he hopes this is just the start for Team GB’s Women’s Eight team.
"I hope that now that we've had two Olympic medals in the women's eight that this could be the start of more women's eights medals to come - stepping on to greater things.”
Team GB's current medal count - 38
Gold medallists
- Rosalind Canter, Laura Collett, Tom McEwen: Equestrian - Eventing team
- Tom Pidcock: Mountain Bike - Men's cross country
- Nathan Hales: Shooting - Men's trap
- Tom Dean, Kieran Bird, James Guy, Jack McMillan, Matthew Richards, Duncan Scott: Swimming - Men's 4x200m freestyle
- Alex Yee: Men's triathlon
- Lauren Henry, Lola Anderson, Hannah Scott and Georgina Brayshaw: Rowing - Women's quadruple sculls
- Bryony Page: Gymnastics - Women's individual trampoline
- Emily Craig and Imogen Grant: Rowing - Women's lightweight double sculls
- Ben Maher, Harry Charles and Scott Brash: Equestrian - Team jumping
- Sholto Carnegie, Rory Gibbs, Morgan Bolding, Jacob Dawson, Charlie Elwes, Tom Digby, James Rudkin and Tom Ford: Rowing: Men's eight
Silver medallists
- Anna Henderson: Cycling - Women's individual time trial
- Adam Peaty: Swimming - Men's 100m breaststroke
- Tom Daley and Noah Williams: Diving - Men's synchronised 10m platform
- Adam Burgess: Canoe Slalom - Men's canoe single
- Matthew Richards: Swimming - Men's 200m freestyle
- Kieran Reilly: Cycling - Men's BMX Freestyle
- Helen Glover, Esme Booth, Sam Redgrave and Rebecca Shorten: Rowing - Women's coxless four
- Oliver Wynne-Griffith and Thomas George: Rowing - Men's pair
- Benjamin Proud: Swimming - Men's 50m freestyle
- Duncan Scott: Swimming - Men's 200m individual medley
- Amber Rutter: Shooting - Women's skeet
- Tommy Fleetwood: Golf - Men's individual stroke play
Bronze medallists
- Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen: Diving - Women's synchronised 3m springboard
- Kimberley Woods: Canoe - Women's slalom
- Laura Collett: Equestrian - Eventing individual
- Beth Potter: Women's triathlon
- Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix and Lois Toulson: Diving - Women's synchronised 10m platform
- Oliver Wilkes, David Ambler, Matt Aldridge and Freddie Davidson: Rowing - Men's coxless four
- Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne and Becky Wilde: Rowing - Women's double sculls
- Jack Laugher and Anthony Harding: Diving - men's synchronised 3m springboard
- Heidi Long, Rowan McKellar, Holly Dunford, Emily Ford, Lauren Irwin, Eve Stewart, Harriet Taylor and Annie Campbell-Orde - Rowing: Women's eight
- Emma Wilson: Sailing: Women's windsurfing
- Jake Jarman: Artistic gymnastics - Men's floor exercise
- Lottie Fry, Becky Moody and Carl Hester: Equestrian - Team Grand Prix Special
- Alex Wilson-Haydock, Laviai Nielsen, Samuel Reardon, Nicole Yeargin: Athletics - Mixed 4x400m relay
- Lottie Fry and Glamourdale: Equestrian - Individual dressage
- Harry Hepworth: Artistic gymnastics - Men's vault
- Alex Yee, Georgia Taylor-Brown, Samuel Dickinson and Beth Potter: Triathlon - Mixed relay
Topics: Olympics, Sport, World News
Ella Scott