Terriers Wrap Up Rowing at Beijing Olympics
August 18, 2008 | Men's Rowing
Aug. 18, 2008
BOSTON - Rowing events have concluded at the Summer Olympics and five Terriers were a part of the competition in Beijing. Alumni Will Daly ('06), Florian Menningen ('06) and Jozef Klaassen ('07) and rising junior Meindert Klem each rowed for their home countries, while two-time Olympic medalist and long-time US National team coach Ted Nash ('54) was involved as a coach.
Klaassen and Klem, rowing for the Netherlands in the men's eight, came closest to medaling, finishing in fourth place in Sunday's final, just four seconds behind the American boat that took bronze. With Klem in the bow and Klaassen in the fourth seat, the Dutch boat completed the 2000-meter course at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park in 5:29.26. Canada won gold with a 5:23.89, while Great Britain took the silver in the event.
Menningen was in the sixth seat for the German men's eight, taking eighth place overall after finishing second in the B final on Sunday.
Daly raced for the United States in the lightweight men's four, rowing from the third seat. The Americans' medal hopes were dashed after a sixth-place finish in Friday's semifinal placed them in the B final on Sunday, where they came in fifth to wind up 11th overall in the competition in which Denmark claimed the gold, Poland the silver and Canada the bronze.
Nash coached the United States men's pair of twin brothers Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss. The Americans reached the gold medal final on Saturday, but finished sixth in the race as Australia captured the gold medal, with Canada and New Zealand following.
