University of York graduate Tom Ransley won an Olympic bronze medal today as the men’s eight finished third in a thrilling final.
The 26-year old helped his crew-mates finish the 2,000m race at Eton Dorney in five minutes 51.18 seconds, behind second-placed Canada and winners Germany.
It was Team GB’s sixth medal of the Olympics, and the second in rowing after Helen Glover and Heather Stanning’s sensational gold earlier in the day.
Germany began the strongest of the crews and pulled into an early lead, before the GB men briefly edged ahead at the halfway stage, roared on by the huge crowds.
But the reigning world champions, who are unbeaten since 2009, stepped up a gear, as well as 2008 gold medallists Canada, to overtake Ransley and co in the last 500m.
Ransley studied History of Art at York and has been a member of York City Rowing Club since his first year at university.
His road to glory began in 2007 when he won the Britannia Challenge Cup at the Henley Royal Regatta, before racing for Cambridge at the 2009 Boat Race and finishing fifth at the World Championships in Poznan.
He did even better last year, winning silver at the 2011 World Championships held in Bled before bagging yet another medal today, in what is becoming an impressive medal collection for one of York’s most successful sporting talents.