‘Memorable day’ for Olympic champions’ club

The North Shore Rowing Club is beaming with pride this weekend.

It has two members in the Olympic gold-winning men’s eight.

Michael Brake, 26, is part of the club, as is 22-year-old Matt Macdonald, who sets the pace in the stroke seat.

Captain Mat Jensen has been watching the two men develop over the years.

He said their golden win was “mindblowing” and club rowers “can’t wait to celebrate with them”.

“It’s been phenomenal watching their journey from kids at school, who have really gotten into the sport at a young age.”

The club has around 250 members, many of whom watched the final from The Cloud yesterday.

Mat Jensen said it was “a pretty memorable day for the sport”, following single sculler Emma Twigg’s gold, and silver for the women’s eight.

He expects the medals will bring new faces to the boathouse this season.

“It does inspire these younger athletes coming through. It inspires people who have dropped out of the sport to get back into and it very much inspires novice rowers who want to pick up an oar and give it a go.”