OLYMPICS LONDON 2012: Successful morning on water for Team GB

By Ben Burrows, Sportsbeat, London 2012

GREAT Britain’s men’s lightweight four booked their place in the London 2012 Olympic final with an impressive performance at Eton Dorney.

SAFELY THROUGH: Alan Campbell progress into semi-finals of men's single scull

After being neck and neck with Switzerland at halfway, the British crew of Chris Bartley, Peter Chambers, Richard Chambers and Rob Williams pressed on to edge them out and take victory in a time of 5:59.68 minutes.

Elsewhere, Bill Lucas and Sam Townsend put themselves firmly in the medal hunt with a comfortable performance in their double scull semi-final.

The pair started slowly – fourth at halfway – but produced a solid second 500m to haul in Norway to finish third and qualify for the final with a time of 6:22.47 mins.

Alan Campbell exacted a measure of revenge against his German rival as the three-time world championship medallist cruised to victory in his single scull quarter-final.

Marcel Hacker, who beat Campbell in Munich, was left trailing in the 29-year-old’s wake as a storming start and brutal third 500m saw Britain’s number one sculler ease home in 6:52.10 mins, and qualify for tomorrow’s semi-finals.

The women’s eight progressed to Thursday’s final after finishing fourth in their repechage with a time of 6:21.58 mins.

The octet, bronze medallists at last year’s world championships, were slow from the start and struggled to keep pace with Beijing silver medallists the Netherlands and the fast finishing Romanian crew.

© Sportsbeat 2012