August 17, 2008
CBC Sports

Women's double sculls win bronze in photo finish

Canadian women's lightweight double sculls rowing pair Melanie Kok and Tracy Cameron clinched the bronze medal on Sunday in a photo finish at Shunyi Olympic rowing park.

Kok and Cameron finished in six minutes, 56.68 seconds, behind Kirsten van der Kolk and Marit van Eupen of the Netherlands, who won the gold, and Sanna Sten and Minna Niemenen of Finland, who took silver.

The race came to such a close finish that the result was in doubt for several seconds before the Canadians realized they had beaten the Germans by 0.04 seconds.

"We had to find a little something extra to get beyond them," Cameron told the CBC. "Just close your eyes and go."

“Our goal was to have a really solid first 1,500. In our previous races we’ve gotten caught a few times. We really wanted to put together a solid last 500,” Kok said.

It was a soggy day at Shunyi on Sunday, but the rain let up just before the pair took to the water.

Not included in the final was the reigning world champion Australian crew of Amber Halliday and Marguerite Houston, after the pair was eliminated in the semifinals on Friday.