The British team claimed the gold for the third consecutive Olympics with a well-timed late run at the Shunyi Regatta Centre to dash the hopes of the Australian quartet of Francis Hegerty, James Marburg, Matt Ryan and Cameron McKenzie-McHarg.

 

 

The team, made up of rowers who had failed to make Australia's flagship boat, the eight, continue their build-up at the World Championships in Poznan, Poland, at the end of this month.

 

The Sydney and Melbourne-based crew have made a pact to stay together through to the 2012 London Games where they aim to avenge their defeat by the British, who have owned the event since Australia's "Oarsome Foursome" disbanded.

 

Hegerty said: "Especially considering the British came to Australia in 2000 [for the Sydney Olympics] and took the gold away in the four, we'd ideally like to go to London in 2012 and take it back.

 

"[The Olympics in] 1992, 1996 was Australia, 2000, 2004 and 2008 was Britain so hopefully we can take it back in the next one.

 

"The Oarsome Foursome created a really good awe and gave the sport a good identity.

 

"That makes it an attractive boat to row.

 

It does give you that bit of extra Australian pride.

 

"People know the boat was the 'Oarsome Foursome's' and we'd like to promote that again for the next Olympics."

 

Britain will have a new-look boat in Poznan with their Olympic-winning quartet having temporarily broken up.

 

Andy Triggs-Hodge and Peter Reed have formed a new combination in the pair while Steve Williams and Tom James are both taking breaks from rowing.

 

But to the Australian team it does not matter.

 

Marburg said: "We want to win and we do want to make a statement and we want to make it our event through to the London Olympics and we do want to win every race we row between now and then.

 

"We want to dominate through the whole Olympic cycle."