09 Jun 2016
Olympic countdown: men’s double sculls
A variety of nations have medalled in the men’s double at the Olympic Games, with the top step of the podium changing flags from one Olympics to the next in recent decades. At the past nine Olympic Games, from Moscow 1980 to London 2012, eight nations have claimed the Olympic title.
One athlete, whose Olympic achievements date back nearly a century, does stand out in this boat class. Paul Costello of the United States claimed Olympic gold in the double at three consecutive Olympic Games – at the 1920 edition in Antwerp, then in Paris at the 1924 Games and finally at Amsterdam in 1928. John Kelly Sr., the father of the late Princess Grace of Monaco, was Costello’s crewmate at two of those Games. Both of these athletes currently tie in seventh position on the list of all-time most successful Olympic male rowers.
The successes of Costello and Kelly have helped place the United States at the top of the all-time Olympic medals table in the men’s double with six golds, three silvers and two bronzes. The United States last medalled in this event at the Games in 1984, at the Los Angeles Olympics. There, Bradley Lewis and Paul Enquist won gold.
Another nation that has had significant presence at recent Games is Slovenia, with its star rowers Luka Spik and Iztok Cop. The duo won three Olympic medals in this event – gold at Sydney 2000, silver in 2004 and then bronze at London 2012.
More recently Italy has been regularly represented in the double at the Olympic level. Alessio Sartori has taken a bronze medal in 2004, as well as a silver in 2012. Before Sartori’s time, the great Agostino Abbagnale earned one of his Olympic gold medals in the double at the Atlanta Games in 1996.
On the road to Rio, the scenery has once again changed markedly in the doubles field. Croatia is now in the lead. The brothers Martin and Valent Sinkovic, formerly part of their nation’s medal-winning quad line-up, formed a duo in 2014 and have not lost a race since. They set a new World Best Time in their semifinal at the 2014 World Rowing Championships when they were the first double to ever go under the six-minute mark. If they continue their winning ways, they will be the first Croatian boat to ever medal in this event at the Olympics.
All-time dream crew in the men’s double sculls
By Martin Cross
Using more than a century of modern rowing, Martin Cross looks at the sport’s legendary performers and plays selector. This is his pick of the best women’s pair ever.
Stroke: John Kelly Sr. (USA)
Bow: Jack Beresford (GBR)
If ever there was going to be a ‘dream’ double, it would include these two men. Between 1920 and 1936 they won no less than six Olympic gold medals. Both men won gold in singles and doubles – Beresford added one in the men’s four too. At the Antwerp Games of 1920, the two men had a titanic duel for the singles title, Kelly only just winning. Almost immediately afterwards, the American headed back up to the start to win the doubles title with Paul Costello. Beresford won his singles gold four years later on the Seine in Paris.
STATISTICS AND LINKS
Videos
World Rowing Championships – Aiguebelette 2015
World Rowing Championships – Amsterdam 2014
World Rowing Championships – Chungju 2013
Olympic Qualification (as of 24 May 2016)
|
No. |
Olympic Qualification Regatta |
M2x (13) |
|
1 |
WCH 1 |
CRO |
|
2 |
WCH 2 |
LTU |
|
3 |
WCH 3 |
NZL |
|
4 |
WCH 4 |
GER |
|
5 |
WCH 5 |
AUS |
|
6 |
WCH 6 |
FRA |
|
7 |
WCH 7 |
AZE |
|
8 |
WCH 8 |
GBR |
|
9 |
WCH 9 |
CUB |
|
10 |
WCH 10 |
ITA |
|
11 |
WCH 11 |
BUL |
|
12 |
Final OQR 1 |
NOR |
|
13 |
Final OQR 2 |
SRB |
World Best Times – Historical Evolution (M2x)
|
Time |
Boat |
Competition |
|
5:59.72 |
CRO |
2014 World Rowing Championships, Amsterdam, the Netherlands (Semifinal) |
|
6:03.25 |
FRA |
2006 World Rowing Cup II -Poznan, Poland (Final) |
|
6:04.37 |
SLO |
1999 World Rowing Championships – St. Catharines, Canada (Final) |
|
6:06.14 |
NED |
1991 World Rowing Championships – Vienna, Austria (Final) |
Olympic Best Times – Historical Evolution (M2x)
|
Time |
Boat |
Competition |
|
06:11.3 |
NZL |
2012 Olympic Games – London, Great Britain (Heat) |
|
06:11.5 |
ITA |
2004 Olympic Games – Athens, Greece (Semifinal) |
|
06:15.6 |
HUN |
2004 Olympic Games – Athens, Greece (Repechage) |
|
06:16.4 |
SLO |
2000 Olympic Games – Sydney, Australia (Semifinal) |
|
06:17.0 |
ITA |
1996 Olympic Games – Atlanta, United States (Final) |
|
06:17.3 |
AUS |
1992 Olympic Games – Barcelona, Spain (Final) |