Aussie rowing star Kim Brennan pulled off the race of her life to win Australia’s sixth gold medal at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Kim, 31, bolted out to a clear lead early in the 2km single sculls final, and although the field closed appreciably in the final 500m, she never looked seriously threatened.
The victory ended an eight year Olympic gold drought for Aussie rowing – Kim’s husband Scott Brennan won the last one in the double sculls at Beijing in 2008.
“This is so special; I just feel so lucky with all the people I have around me,” said the intellectual property lawyer minutes after the sensational win.
“I have an amazing team this year – I feel like this is for everyone, not just for myself.”
Unassuming Kim, a bronze medallist in the single sculls in London in 2012, came into Rio a red-hot favourite after being undefeated for the last two years.
But her invincibility took a huge hit after she finished third in her heat, then qualified for the final with a semi-final win four seconds slower than China’s Duan Jingli recorded in winning the second semi.
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