London 2012: Sbihi and Louloudis settle for bronze after brave battle

Great Britain's men's eight (left to right) Alex Partridge, James Foad, Tom Ransley, Ric Egington, Mohamed Sbihi, Greg Searle, Matt Langridge, Constantine Louloudis won bronze after pushing eventual winners Germany all the way. Photo credit: Stephen Pond/PA wire

By James Cunliffe
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
1:14 PM

Olympic rowing: Team GB finish third in the men’s eights behind Germany and Canada

The London pair of Mohamed Sbihi and Constantine Louloudis helped Team GB clinched a heroic bronze medal as the rowing men’s eights pushed the dominant German crew all the way but couldn’t upset the form books.

The home crew have had to play second fiddle to the Germans over the last four years but at the halfway point of the 2,000 metre course Britain pulled ahead as the noise level at Eton Dorney raised to a crescendo.

But their rivals had more in the tank and responded from the 1,500m mark, leaving the field behind with 250m to go.

It left the crew of Sbihi and Louloudis – which also included James Foad, Ric Egington, Matt Langridge, Alex Partridge, Tom Ransley, Greg Searle and cox Phelan Hill - with a challenge on their hands in the form of the 2008 Beijing champions Canada who came on strong at the finish to pip Britain to silver by almost three seconds