Day 9 BBC One: 13.00-17.00 Olympics

COMMENTATOR: He can go away with another Olympic title.

It is 8.22 and Greg Rutherford has taken the lead.

Mo Farah, content to be at the back. It is a massive throw for Jessica

Ennis-Hill! And the tension starts to build a

little bit. Mo has fallen, he is quickly up.

Henderson has jumped 8.38, that is over 50 metrese.

This is drama. It is 8.29. A bronze medal. At the ready.

Jess couldn't do any more. Here comes Mo Farah, he wins the gold

medal! This takes him into a place no

British athlete has ever been. Good afternoon. Rio's Super Saturday

was pretty special with three gold medals and four solvers, won bronze,

the best day for Britain so far. It means the medal tally is now 30.

In the quest for 48, the target which would make these the most

successful away Games for Britain in Olympic history. It could turn into

a special Sunday as well. Medal success is already guaranteed

in cycling, Andy Murray is in the tennis final. The sailing medals,

one coming there at least. Justin Rose is leading the golf and

Max Whitlock favourite to win in the pommel horse.

It gets better and better. I hope you will stay with us through

another long day, day nine. First, it is extreme sight seeing.

Not a new Olympic event, otherwise known as marathon running, 26 miles

around this magnificent host city. We are live for the women's marathon

shortly as Kenny covets a distance gold medal they have never won.

We will have well decorated company here, 26 guests I am expecting after

a superb rowing Regatta in that spectacular setting.

I hope they have got the party poppers!

Sailing bubbles begin to flow, windsurfer Nick Dempsey is riding a

wave to the medal podium today. Max Whitlock, can he win in the

pommel horse final today? Before we even start our Olympic

date in Rio, the medal count is guaranteed to rise.

Sonia Samuels competing in the women's marathon.

These are the other potential high points. Andy Murray defending his

title against Del Potro of Argentina.

It could come down to Max Whitlock and Louis Smith again on the pommel

horse. Set your alarm or get some strong

coffee for Monday morning, the 100 metres final is very late, Usain

Bolt expected to go for an unprecedented Olympic hat-trick at

2:25am. Then the sprint with Callum Skinner

and Jason Kenny riding for gold. And the first Olympic medallists for

the golf will be presented later that evening.

We also have the Greco Roman wrestling and the synchronised

swimming. We will reflect on last night. If

you stayed in to watch, and if you didn't, let us show you what

happened on a pulsating night in the Olympic Stadium.

Mo Farah tried to become the first Briton to win three Olympic gold

medals in track and field. Things got a little tense.

That happened, 16 laps to go, accidentally tripped by gallon Rupp.

Happily, he didn't stay down for long.

Mo Farah, Lukas Rupp, -- Galen Rupp. Hanging on to Mo Farah and the two

Ethiopians. Mo Farah realises the danger is from Ethiopia.

The Kenyan challenge certainly hasn't happened.

Now it is Tanui, Mo Farah, and behind is Galen Rupp.

Three laps to go, Mo Farah has been stretched in the last few laps but

he has the ability, the stamina and the speed at the finish. Now it is a

case of positioning himself to get ready, don't give any more chances,

we don't want any more spills or accidents. From here, the reigning

Olympic champion is in a position where he has dreamt about being.

Coming up to 1000m. The pace has been powerful in the latter stages.

Looking over his shoulder, moving alongside the leader, for the first

time, Mo Farah is now in control, in the lead. He has Tanui for company,

and Tola, his team-mate, American Galen Rupp.

But there is no great champion in the apart from Mo Farah. Now,

concentrate on the race, two laps to go, can he do what no other British

athlete has done before by winning a third Olympic gold medal?

Things are looking good for him. Another 62 seconds lap. Looking

comfortable. He will be attacked but should fend

them off fairly easily, attempting to win his eighth global gold medal.

Mo Farah down the back straight with just over 600 metres to go. Tanui

behind. Two Ethiopians, Demelash and Tola.

You could almost throw a blanket over the five of them.

Mo Farah wants to control this. We have seen this before. We know what

happens from here. Now it is about determination, about

Mo Farah not giving up the lead. Coming into the home straight. Tanui

has been there before. Galen Rupp, silver medallist from London.

Tola in there, Demelash in a little trouble.

Has Mo Farah got the strength and speed to defend his title?

He is passing his team-mate on the outside.

Mo had to hold up. Gather yourself again.

He had to dig deep. Look ahead of yourself.

Tanui going as fast as he can. Mo Farah having to work hard. Tola is

still there. Danger in front and behind, he has a look.

Checking what is there. Mo Farah attempting to retain his 10,000m

Olympic title. Tanui is giving it everything but

here comes Mo Farah, moving out, and he opens both legs and is sprinting

away. The inevitable. Bowing to his

superiority, Mo Farah wins the gold medal!

He retains his title. He makes history, and becomes the

first British athlete to win three Olympic gold medals.

Some things you can't control in the race. When I went down, I managed to

get out quickly, and try to think how much I have worked this race and

I wouldn't let that go. How difficult was it?

You rebound it pretty quickly. It was hard, mentally. When you go

down, you get really emotional. I had to pick myself back up and

believe in myself and work through. At the end when I crossed the line,

I got really emotional. You know what goes in. You can't

imagine how hard you work for it. In one moment it is gone.

We know the hard work you put in, 120 miles a week, the sacrifices you

make missing your family, six months at a time in each year you are

training. Does it ever go through your mind in

a race that that? Yes, that is why I am emotional. I

work hard and spent a lot of time away from my family.

That one moment could be gone and you are not in control.

I had to believe and get through it. I wanted to do it for my kids. I

wanted to give something to my little girl, this is for her.

And one more for the little boy. I had to recover. I have to recover

now, get some time with family and relax.

That will be another piece of history, the 5000.

The first athlete from Great Britain to win gold medals.

History is important to you. It is important to make my country proud

and make history, every athlete's dream.

I want to continue to do what I enjoy and what I am good at. I enjoy

what I do. You have made the nation proud

tonight, congratulations, a wonderful formance.

Thank you for your support. The first British athlete to win

three Olympic gold medals. Mo Farah.

His family are there to enjoy a special moment.

He talked about all of the hours, days, weeks, months, years that go

into moments like this. We all know that, we all understand

that. He really feels it.

A brilliantly gutsy performance especially after that fall. And we

know the script. The men's 5,000 metres heats, and a possible double

double. We heard Mo very emotional about his

family and how that really drove him on towards the line.

It is family matters suggests Ennis-Hill.

She was attempting last night to become only the third woman ever to

win an Olympic title, go away and have a baby, and defend that Olympic

title in the same Olympic cycle. Remarkable as all new mothers know

leaving the house is quite tricky after the first few years after

having a baby. Jeff found herself in a difficult

position, silver medal position into the last 800 metres event on the

programme last night. Nafissatou Thiam, only 21, just

ahead of her. It was roughly ten seconds between

them, after 36 hours of competition. Jeff knew she would have two run the

800 metres of her life and hope the Belgian would not.

COMMENTATOR: stopwatches at the ready at the front and further back

down the field. Jessica Ennis-Hill and Katarina Johnson-Thompson in the

final event in this Olympic heptathlon. How hard can just go?

How hard must she go? It already looks as though it could be a lone

furrow that she tries to plough as they go through the first 200

metres. She has covered that in a swift 29 seconds, quite swift. She's

really attacking this, isn't she? She's absolutely gone off. Michael

Johnson called it a mental chess game. Jess has gone into attack

mode. The benefit for Thiam is that she can see her. Jess is running

blind. She will have two just attack. Denise Lewis talked about

awareness. A little glance up their TV screen at the end of the track to

see where Thiam is. Thiam with a noose around Jess Ennis's neck. She

is holding on. The gap at the moment is probably around 20 metres. If it

doubles and some then Jess can be overtaken and certainly Thiam can

take the gold here. The gap's not big enough at the moment. It was

about 3.5 seconds and just went through in Dixie 2.9. -- in 62.9.

That's what we expected, but we hope to Thiam couldn't do much better.

She is much quicker than that. You can see the gap is getting bigger,

but it's only about five or six seconds. Thiam is rallying here.

Jessica Ennis-Hill is doing everything she can. She can only win

this last event by running as hard as she can and giving everything

she's got. Then it'll be an anxious wait looking back to Thiam. Jess and

is coming down the home straight. It's going to be very close to her,

just outside 2.07. The clock is ticking and Thiam is going to become

the Olympic champion. Probably by around 20 or 30 points. We will

clarify all of that but I'm sorry to say and I'm pretty sure that we can

confirm with everything you can all see, just couldn't do any more. It

was a big ask for her to run a personal best. Thiam certainly

appears to have broken her best. Jess with a couple of seconds off

what she required. It was out of her hands in the end. Steve, I guess the

gold medal which she dearly hoped she could retain slipped away or was

grasped away from her, really, in the long jump and in the javelin.

You've got to hand it to Thiam, two brilliant performances, particularly

in the javelin. Jess is the first to congratulate her and say well done.

Cat, your reflections on that. It was one of the best opportunities I

never had so I'm a bit disappointed but I didn't execute when I really

needed to. I'm happy I finished and I'm not going to cry this time. Good

on you for that. Tell me about the highs and lows of the competition

from your perspective? I've had one high and six lows. The high jump was

an obvious height, it was a national high and the joint Olympic record.

But with a high for me, but unfortunately I couldn't come in

today two with the bang I wanted. That is unfortunately we are placed

sixth place and didn't get a medal. Do you feel an added pressure when

somebody like Thiam is delivering personal best upon personal best and

you feel you have to maintain that yourself? I think she was the

exception in this competition. She's had a brilliant two days. Where

everybody else has fallen back, she has excelled. I said when I came in

I would need six or eight to win it. Unfortunately I could produce that.

Are you disappointed you've not quite been able to do it here and

now? In the years ahead, how do you see yourself going to another

consistent level of Jess has produced time upon time? We just be

victory lap and she said at my age she wasn't as consistent as she was

now. I'm still 23, at Tokyo 2020I'll be Jess' age when she was in London.

I think I have shown glimpses of good and different events that

people want me to put it together now. It's very hard for me to do

that! Hopefully I can do that more consistently like Jess was when she

was 27. Here is the woman herself. We were saying how consistently

been, but not at Katarina's age. The heptathlon is so hard. Katarina

knows it is physically and mentally draining. I know that Kat's so much

more. I was a terrible thrower for so many years. I got to this level.

I have so much faith in Kat. It's great to see you draped in the flag

once again. A great defence of your title. As Kat wassailing, Thiam was

inspired. She's incredible and such a lovely girl. Her individual

performances were just off the chart. What a four years it's been,

getting married, having Reggie and coming back being World Champion

just one year after you gave birth. And now this. It's just so hard to

find the words to describe this. It's just so special. I've had an

amazing few years and I've achieved so much in the sport. I'm really

proud. Four years ago it was Super Saturday. We had three golds. Here

we have had a gold, a silver and a bronze. That is still pretty

special. Watching Mo Farah, he was impressive. Greg did a brilliant

job, too. Medal of medals, I think we've all done really well. There's

been an amazing British support here and it just shows from four years

ago. There was about 17 GB flags in every single section. It's helped us

perform over the last weekend. It's been incredible. That is amazing. We

have the Mo Farah come through, Greg had tears. Kat said she wouldn't

cry, but you are clearly an emotional because you come through a

lot. I am, I have got to go away and make a big decision about what I'm

going to do. I don't want to cry on TV but these years have been

amazing. Are you hinting that this may be the last one? Possibly, yes.

I don't want to cry! What would be the defining decision for you? Just

to go away and have time with my family and make a decision. It's

just been incredible. I don't want to cry like this, stop making me

cry! I will let you go. Listen, it's always been a pleasure. Whether this

is your last event or not, congratulations on a great career.

And you know, ten two, the greatest is yet to come.

What a magnificent and classy response not just in the interview

but on the track as well. You just can't argue with that, it was the

best quality heptathlon in the Olympics of all times when you

consider that six women got over the 6500 points. With Nafi Thiam, PB is

in five of the seven events, you can't argue with that. London's

champions from Super Saturday, gold and silver so far. Could Greg

Rutherford get in on the podium acts as well as he put his title in the

long jump on the line? COMMENTATOR: Greg Rutherford's final

attempt to win a medal in the long jump. It's long, but they will look

closely. He gets a white flag! Rutherford now will have a very

nervous wait. Henderson's grinning and laughing, what a last round. He

shakes his head, puffs out the cheeks. He gave it his best effort.

8.29 metres, using bronze medal position now. Fantastic, I was very

pleased that I managed to pick myself up after yesterday and pull

out a few half decent jobs. I found out the one they called a foul of

the gaming in the end. -- half decent jumps. -- they gave me in the

end. In my career I thought I would be disappointed with a bronze medal,

I think I'm gutted. I suppose that's what makes you the great champion

you are. You have got the full set of gold medals. You offer forever an

Olympic champion. You've not won the gold tonight but you're adding to

your collection with a bronze. Understandably, you're disappointed.

Yes! You set yourself high goals. It's very frustrating when you come

out of something and don't feel like you've done yourself justice. I

didn't see anybody out there that was not unbeatable tonight from.

From coming back down on fourth I came out and got my father middle

school. I came into the championships to win. I'm not here

to finish third. -- I came out and got myself a medal still. I did

everything I could in that last round, I was desperate to take it

back. I felt I could. It just wasn't to be tonight. I guess two Olympic

medals in a career isn't too bad. As I say, I really wanted it tonight. I

really wanted to retain the title. When you think any moment of the

competition and will be hard work you've put into it, what is going

your mind? Are you thinking of family, friends? Of course. For me,

is always my family. I spend so much time away from them and that is very

difficult in itself. You want to go home and make them proud. For me, as

I say, I set myself up to try and win these things. Tonight is very,

very disappointing. I know they would be proud anyway and they are a

fantastic supporting team, but I wanted to bring home the gold medal

again today. We appreciate you talking to us. Like you say, I'm

sure they're very proud of you. Thank you, I do appreciate it. Thank

you to everyone who stayed home and have a party at my house. Sorry it

wasn't a win but you will have to settle for a medal I'm afraid. Greg,

we will settle for a medal every day of the week. Well done to the

athletes in the stadium last week. -- last night was a lot of sweat and

tears as you saw last night. There will be swept this morning at the

start of the women's marathon which takes place on the streets around

Rio. This is the place that the canyons really wants to win. They've

been trying to win this race ever since it was included in the Olympic

programme in 1974. As for Great Britain we have Sonia Dixon going

for gold. There is the Sambodromo, the start of it all. It is usually

about party down there, but is all about hard work, graft and endurance

this morning. As well as our commentary team! What is the course

have in store this afternoon? COMMENTATOR: morning, Hazel. It is

warm, but it is beautiful out there. A fantastic view across the bay.

Christ the Redeemer, resplendent as ever. Probably since the athletics

programme has started its the most difficult conditions for marathon

runners. It's a beautiful day in Rio. Humidity is rising a little

bit. If you were spectating this route, whether you are in the

Sambodromo or out on the course itself, you will have a fantastic

day but it will be tough out there. As Hazel was saying, two

representatives. Sonia Samuels and Ali Dixon for Great Britain. As

ever, a good Kenyan contention and Ethiopian contention. It is a race

in which there is not really anybody you would say is a standout

favourite. Particularly with the conditions they are about to face,

anything could happen. Good morning to Brendan and Paula. Good morning.

It was a great night last night, wasn't it? It does seem like minutes

ago but it was absolutely fantastic. Last year's was champion, Dibaba

Ethiopia. They are at the Sambodromo, the purpose-built

stadium is used for the annual parading of the samba dancers in the

world famous Rio Carnival. I couldn't believe when I read about

it that it has been going since 1723. The Carnival has come stadium

was specially built. Brazil will be cheering on Da Silva there. You get

about 90,000 people in here. Not that many today. It is about 700

metres long, that is quite a long run just to get to the main road.

Sumgong, one of the current favourites. This has been

reinvigorated, the stadium. The guy who designed it was here in 2012. He

was 104 years old, sadly no longer with us. He was here for the opening

just before the World Cup. Lots of people have been here, Eric Clapton,

Radiohead. Tom Jones? Not Tom Jones, but Elton John has played here. As

well as Coldplay. So we have had the world's best musicians and also now

the board's best athletes. Japan are well represented. Tanaka there. A

lively character. Hugely talented but can make some

rash decisions early in the race. Exciting to watch. An interesting

route in the sense the way they go, they will head out towards the main

road. That will take them down to the Bay. They have about five K

before they get onto a loop which is around about 10K. Three laps of that

group which is down one side of the coastal road and back of the other

side. They do that three times, then head back into this central area

that is seven kilometres coming back of the loop, around the pedestrian

area where the Olympic flame is housed during these Games. Around

the spectacular museum. They have other two miles to go before heading

to the finish. A splendid setting. The marathon

aficionados... On the course they are running three 10km laps. If you

are positioned on the seafront you will be able to see the race evolve.

There are sparse crowds here. Madeline Bunning has been strong

over the years in Brazil. But those people who know about marathon

running will be on the seafront. That is the spectacular Sambodromo.

You can't imagine its prime use is heaving with samba bands, dancers,

an amazing spectacle, what a carnival it is every February.

The runners running through the Sambodromo.

Before turning onto the main road. They will take a right-hander. Then

a pretty long straight mile and a half down towards the central area.

The old parts of the town, everyone thinks about Copacabana and it

anymore. This is the old of Rio de Janeiro. Lots of buildings we will

get to see, I am sure the hosts will give us a tour.

Particularly in these early stages. The one thing... Moreira, we will go

through the other competitors and some of the names as they settle

down in these early stages. One thing, Paula, there is almost no

shade on this route. The only bit is in the city centre but they are

through that quickly early on. Even as they run down the main

avenue, this wide boulevard, there is no shade, no shelter from the

heat. It is one of the hottest days in the

championships. The girls have known this, have been planning for this

all week. We have seen from the forecast it was due to take a dive

upwards in temperature which is why so many have come out in caps,

moistened towels around their neck to keep their cortege down. Some

using ice vests as they were waiting at the start -- core temperature.

It is going to climb steadily upwards in this race as the

temperature finishes around midday. 157 runners in this ninth running of

the Olympic marathon. The women had a long battle to get

marathon running accepted, a battle of the people spent a lot of energy

and sacrificed a lot to get to. It now changed.

Joan Benoit. From the USA, she won the first.

And Paula Radcliffe setting the record.

Los Angeles, that was a pretty hot day when Joan Benoit won the race.

She literally ran away from the others before the others realised

she had done that and wasn't coming back.

Jessica Augusto of Portugal, we are getting a close-up of these

athletes. If you think about the other day, in the women's 10,000m,

perfect additions at this time of the morning for a world record. The

vagaries of this is when it such... Now a major factor will be the heat.

The other day, it was like a Scandinavian evening in Oslo where

they were running as fast as they could, one of the greatest female

10,000 bases we have ever seen. Now, the marathon runners have two

content with these conditions -- races.

Aly Dixon from Sunderland strollers. They have been doing their own kind

of marathon to Rio to raise money for charity. I am sure they will all

be watching this morning. Some are here, her mum and dad are here. They

are on the main lap. And Sonia Samuels, a great

north-eastern connection between them. Both of them really rewarded

for many years of distance running, cross-country, on the roads. They

are very popular among the running contingent at home. They really

highlight what this is about, getting to represent your country at

the Olympic Games, at the highest level. And I know both of them want

to acquit themselves really well. They know it is going to be tough,

and sometimes that can help, in the last year we saucisson Partridge

doing so well in Beijing. You never know what can happen.

There you can see they have been getting a lot of headlines, the

three Estonian triplets. Tell us which is which.

Brendan? Layla, Lila and Lily! They tried a few other things

beforehand. In their sporting lives. Let us look

at the start again. Good technique. Nobody fell which is good.

There are quite a few stories in this Olympic marathon. About people

who are maybe not going to content at the front in terms of medals. We

not only have the triplets, we have the German fastest marathon twins

they call themselves, we won't argue.

And one of the first Saudi Arabian women to run in the Olympic Games,

Sarah Attar. Two kilometres, 40 to go. There is

that little bit of shade, 100 metres long. Now they are back in the sun.

They will get a little bit of shade when they turn right and start to go

through a slightly built up area. Where these buildings are in the

city centre, the old city centre, where they will get a little

respite. Some looking for early water. People

can be surprised at that but it is no surprise they grab some water

even at this early stage. In that group, number 656, from

Finland. She was the second Finnish woman

ever to climb Mount Everest. We discussed this earlier. We

decided once we had that conversation we would ask you who

was the first? The first Finnish woman to climb Mount Everest.

Well, thanks! It is only ten minutes into the race and you have stumped

me already! I know you have the answer.

No, we don't. I could have made one up!

I will throw one at you. In a little while we will see Sugar Loaf

Mountain and I will ask you who was the first person recorded to have

climbed it? The reason I asked you about

climbing Everest, because I thought you might know because we didn't

know, but you have the arts about Sugarloaf Mountain.

-- the answer. Have you being downtown, Brendan?

That building is the backdrop, to where the Olympics lane is. It --

flamer -- flame is. It is already interesting. The

athletes can it looks like it is going slowly uncomfortably, the

athletes are collecting themselves. Jessica Augusto, Sarah Marrero,

Straneo from Italy, and the African contingent. Oliveira. We will

properly get a lot of slow motion pictures here.

You have there the Kenyan contingent and the Ethiopian macro contingent.

Just collecting that, surprisingly near the front. Jepkesho, on the

outside. Eshete running for Bahrain, transferring from Ethiopia.

The other Bahrain athletes are transferees from Kenyan. Something

some people are not happy about, as a convenience.

A whole tranche well granted citizenship in terms of IAAF rules

around eligibility, literally in the last couple of weeks, on the track,

and as Brendan was saying in the marathon as well.

It is not good, it really isn't a good sign. However, there are 82

countries represented in this mother in which shows you in those years

since the 1980s when women first started running, the interest and

appeal of Boutin running around the world, 82 countries is a serious

commitment to this event -- of marathon running.

It is a great thing to see, Paula. It is a wide open global sport. We

were talking about the Camaro -- The camaraderie in the heptathlon, and

you get the same in the Masterson -- marathon.

It is a race against the conditions as much against the other girls. It

is tough but something great they are sharing together. Bringing a lot

of nations together. Truly a sport you can practice wherever you are.

We even have a runner from Lebanon who has been to three Olympic Games

before, can you guess which event, Brendan?

Not the marathon? The third quiz question and no one

has the answer. She carried the Lebanese flag in

2002 and 2010. In the opening ceremony of the Olympics.

That must've been the Winter Olympics? The slalom the super-G.

She had to win three -- Run three quick matters in succession to be

eligible. Good knowledge -- Three quick

marathons. We saw the British athletes running

together, Sonia Samuels and Aly Dixon, well back, deciding, we know

what is going to happen here with these conditions. They have decided

to take it easy early on. I am sure they will be looking to move

through. Probably 20 seconds behind. It is odd, Paula, the feature of

this race, the first five kilometres and the last seven are really

twisting, not a problem when you are heading out. When you are coming

back and are tired, we talk about what is going to happen in the last

six miles of the race, these tight turns, there are more on the way

back which can upset your rhythm. You talk about citing people, seeing

people head. You want to do that, and road, and

have in your mind the last five kilometres.

There has been uncertainty for these goals, we walked around the course,

and there is almost a U-turn marked in the last three kilometres of the

race. They don't know whether it is in or out, if they will head out

onto the promenade around the museum or not.

It is simple, you do just follow the runners in front. But you do like to

have in your head at least the closing stages of the race. You can

cope with changes at the beginning. You will probably notice there is a

dark red line on the road. That's meant to be the shortest route

that's been measured. We went round, it goes all over the shop at times.

Nonetheless, through the pedestrian areas it disappears. You can see it

right down the middle of the road, that is the line that they're

following. As Paula said, it's wise to follow the lead vehicle at the

moment. There are Sugarloaf Mountain in the background. They are very

close to the waterfront here and they get onto that big lap for the

last time -- first time. There will be three laps of ten kilometres each

where they will be in the full glare of this morning's sunshine. We will

be hoping, I suppose, certainly for many in that group at the minute,

that things don't pick up too early. Even for the good athletes, it's a

case of patients and not getting too carried away in the early stages. It

is the Olympic Games and you are nervous, but it's not a case of

going flat out. I bet they all watched the 10,000 metres in awe as

we saw the world record in that race. I bet they were looking at the

weather that morning thinking, I hope it's going to be like that for

the marathon. Sadly, I know they have prepared for this kind of

weather but I bet they hoped it would be the same as it was on the

morning of that wonderful 10,000 metre race. The talent is now

collecting towards the front. They're coming towards the five

kilometre point. We will be able to get a check on what sort of pace by

going out. Sensibly, athletes are just dropping back. There is Sara

Moreira Portugal. You can see the jarring of the muscles when they hit

the ground. The concrete is a little harder than I would be. Two of the

Kenyans, Jepkesho and married Barbara on the outside. Then used to

this, when they run the big races they usually have the company of

pacemakers. -- Jepkesho and Mari debar bar.

The course has been designed to be as sympathetic as it possibly could

be because it is relatively flat. It's very flat. The monument you

just saw there was dedicated to Brazilian soldiers who lost their

lives in World War II. This Bay Area is a very nice grassy area with a

lot of sports facilities. Very popular for people running and

cycling. We are hoping there will be quite a lot of people out here

watching this morning. They are round about the 2.25 pace in the

early stages, not to slow given what we've been talking about with the

conditions. Brendan, it has just come to me in a flash, the first

woman to climb Everest from Finland. Shouldn't that in 2010. You're

certain about that? Yes, it was by Carina Raiha. We have talked about

the Estonian triplets. The Korean athletes are not related but they do

will have the same surname, it is Kim. They are just watching for

webby Japanese runners are a good 89 seconds further back.

The first five K is breaking up quite early. Not perhaps as low as

we thought it might be. All the athletes who have featured and won

the big races, when you make a list of the top ten hit, almost all of

that top ten are immediately in the leading group. The other athletes,

clearly, have decided that they are going to race at their own pace.

They will settle for whatever it is earlier on, they're not bothered

with the friend pace, and just settle down. You know, Paula, at

your best, racing in conditions like this, would you just be settling

behind that group or would you be at the front? I think I would be just

settling somewhere in amongst that number. I would have loved to have

been at my best in the Olympic Games. It didn't happen. But she

would definitely be sitting in the pack, you wouldn't be trying to push

anything on at this point. The humidity is high today so they have

to reckon with that. Looking at the trees in the background, it's pretty

breezy out there as well. This is part of the loop coming back is a

little bit exposed at some point. They need to factor that in. They

are likely coming back into a headwind. Just an update on the two

British athletes, Sonia Samuels and Ali Dixon went through five

kilometres spot on 18 minutes. I suspect that was the targets. They

are running in a little group with some familiar names. Finally

MacCormack from Ireland, all in that 80 minute group. Water stations,

feed stations. How many times do we talk about this? There is only 157

runners and you would have thought it would be easy to organise those

water stations. But how many times do we see at mass participation of

Npower better at organising? At the end of the day, on a day like today,

those water stations are hugely important. At the very first water

station we saw a scramble for position. All of the flags were

gathered together. One athlete went for the drink and then she would

have to push another athlete at the way. That was a disappointing

opening because the feed and water stations will be crucial in this

event. They are already threatening a little bit. What's happened is if

you are in a major big-city marathon there are a lots of signs as you

approach a feed station warning you that it's going to be there. One

athlete had not realised she was at a drink station so she had run back

through the pack, not a bottle on the floor and then stopped a lot of

athletes getting their bottles. There is no excuse for it when it is

a loop course. There are two feed stations and most will be manned by

an official to hand out for your team. They should know exactly where

the feed stations are, especially in the early stages. The organisation

of the athletes, whether coach, athlete, manager or personal coach,

and the amount of effort that goes into getting everybody prepared and

getting the right level of sustenance for a day like this, and

then suddenly you're handed over to the officials. Sometimes it goes

completely wrong, and yet if years of preparation and getting the right

kind of drinks. It's practising taking those drinks. Then suddenly

you've got an organisation that can't cope. That's disappointing.

The pace is still being driven up the front at a reasonable look here.

And I think that's why you're still seeing a lot of different groups.

People will start to feel a way into which group they are happy running

with in the early stages. Some have committed to the early big group at

the front, I think some will pay for that later on. There are good

runners there, but there are others who may be should be setting off a

little bit. A welcome spray being provided as the temperature

continues to rise. You can see here despite these trees the sun is not

far from being overheard. It is winter here in Rio, but you wouldn't

think it. It is expected certainly by midday, not long after the

leaders will have finished, to be getting up to 28, 29 Celsius. That

is not the kind of temperature you want when you're running a marathon.

Who is that stepping off? One of the Portuguese athletes, Moreira. That

is disappointing. She hasn't stepped off yet, she is walking. She is

clearly coming in with an injury and her marathon journey ends in

disappointment, walking along the road ride unable to go any further.

She has completed five kilometres. She will be so disappointed. She is

a very good athlete, 30 years of age. Maybe we will see her again in

four years' time, but that is disappointment for Portugal and

disappointment for, the European half marathon champion. I have got

some of my updates. This time getting some water without

tripping everybody up. Her team-mate grabs two, that's greedy! A little

bit of a push and shove as ever. People almost queueing. It's so

important that they get their water on board in these early stages. It's

worth taking a few seconds to make sure you do. Don't miss the water

stages. You can see that the organisation team here are not

really up to scratch. It's all right talking about organisation when they

haven't got the fences right. That spray is just not going anywhere at

all. These athletes are world-class distance runners. They rely on the

officialdom to support them in their journey, and so they should. We have

Sara Moreira walking backwards. We have had the spectacle of the

opening, poor organisation. There crowd out on the course. It is

disappointing to see this. Paula, you must feel for these athletes

when you realise the organisation is not only working 100%, but you rely

on it. When you're not confident about it it starts to affect how you

think about the race. It does, and I don't see any reason here why they

can't have stations on both sides of the road so you choose which side.

Then it will thin it out on the early stages. Or in the middle of

the road. That is how they do it in Chicago so the runners can go either

side and they know in advance which side their bottle will be placed on.

If it's water and sponges, they can be on both sides of the road and

immediately thin out some of those problems. The spray is there to call

the athletes down, and some of the welcome it. But it's watering the

grass, not the athletes. They can't control which way the wind blows.

They must know the wind blows onto the coast all the time.

It is sad that you come to this, perhaps the biggest race of your

career, and that organisational side of it could be better. It's not that

hard, actually. It's not that hard to provide a proper good water

station where everybody gets the chance. It is important that they're

grabbing their own drinks at this feed station, but nobody manning it

which is odd to me. This is a looped course, it's not like your

organisation as a team is stretched because you are point-to-point and

have got to get to different places. It is a looped course, it's not that

difficult to get from one point to another quickly. The better teams

will have at least, I would hope, three or four people out there

manning those drinks stations, making sure that the drinks are

there within reach. We saw the poor girl they're trying to get her

bottle right in front of a post. The momentum will carry forward into the

post and she will lose her bottle. They're just not thinking about

whether placing the bottles. Hopefully the officials manning the

table are able to think forward. I thank Mark Rowland in Beijing who

rang four kilometres down the road to get one of my bottles because the

organisers have placed two on the wrong table. There will be officials

who will think about that, but it shouldn't have too come down to

that. It should be well organised from the beginning. There are

Sugarloaf Mountain overlooking the bay. Are you going to tell us the

story? Henrietta casters, a British nanny, is reputed to be the first to

have got to the top in 1817. It is the first recorded trip to the top.

I dare say others have climbed it before. It is a beautiful backdrop,

Sugarloaf Mountain, as they continue around the bay. As I said earlier,

if you were out for a Sunday morning stroll or out on your bike you can

see so many people are doing exactly that. A wonderful place to be. But

for running a marathon, the service is good. That is one thing I will

say. But there is no shade, no respite from the sun. As we have

seen already, taking water on board, getting the feed station is going to

be critical here. Already this lead group is just starting to whittle

down a bit. I'm surprised to see the American at

the front. It is not necessary? It is not necessary. Linton missed out

when she started the marathon in 2012, with a stress fracture. Unable

to finish. She was heartbroken. She had been in great shape that year.

She has gradually worked her way back and she runs very well in these

conditions. She copes well with the heat and humidity. She is

metronomic, she rarely gets it wrong. If she is pushing to the

front, she must be feeling strong. The other US athletes have moved

because they know that if she is at the front pushing, she is feeling

good, she is not messing around. It is a good strong American team.

Shalane Flanagan, Amy Cragg. And Linden. The Americans love the

marathon. They have some big marathons, such as Boston, Chicago,

New York, the three big ones. There is a big following for running and

they will be watching this in the States and reacting and delighted to

see an American leader in the women's marathon. Just inside 28

minutes, they have gone through five miles. The pace is strong. I agree

with Brendan. She looks at her watch, maybe -ish

-- but just sit in the pack, enjoyed. They are gradually moving

away from the others. A nice group there. A lot of the main contenders

in. It is early to be pushing things along. She has the wind behind her.

She is not losing anything. Free site of the road ahead and is maybe

able to run more freely and that might be all she has done, just

drifted to the front, to get herself in a good position in the front

where she is not blocked. We saw what can happen to the best last

night when Mo Farah tripped and went down. These things can happen. If

you are out of trouble and there is not any reason not to beat the

front, it is different from the track race when you to sit in and

needs not to be on the front. She has kept pace ticking along and has

moved to when she can get a free run at the drinks station and stay out

of trouble. It is a strong leading group. The three Japanese athletes

falling away, allowing them to go. In the second group. Allowing that

group to get away. If you are in this group here, looking ahead,

every athlete you thought about who might have a chance of winning is in

the leading group. The task is to get on the back of the leading

group. Even at this early stage, I would suggest, even the three will

come from that leading group. It is interesting. When we drove around

this, Paula, and I have only just noticed this. Paula noticing

somebody in his beach where walking along the road. I thought we were

going the other way round. Because when they return, and carry on, it

is difficult to explain to the viewers back home, they will turn

shortly, it is a tight turn onto the other carriageway. I thought... They

are running clockwise. We drove the opposite way around. I am worried

they will cross later on, if they start lapping runners, which there

is every possibility. Anyway, we shall see. Ten kilometres,

approaching. There are good crowds, which is

great to see. This is the turning point, very tight.

180 degrees. And that is the 10K sign. 34 .20, 310 kilometres. It has

slowed a little but not much. They have picked it up. They have picked

it up considerably. Just under 17 minutes. That is the point I was

making about the American, why push on at this point? They are already

going at a decent pace. Given the rays, conditions, everything else,

there will be people hurting later, even some of the good people. I

think that is right. That leading group has the talent. But they are

running reasonably quickly in I think these difficult conditions

now. I hope by the time they get to the next feed stations somebody has

taken a closer look at the organisation. Through six miles,

five minutes 17. I keep underlining it. I know that is your thinking,

get out in front, but she might be paying for it. Taking the short

line. Shalane Flanagan and Linden are on the line. As a marathon

runner you expect the blue line we usually call it, but the red line

here. To take the shortest route and when we drove around it it was not

the case. I think the middle line down the road and then it suddenly

skips to the next lane further along. What they are trying to do is

rumba are little. Linton threw down the pace a little bit and it has

been maintained. Kiprop moving through. Mare Dibaba. If they had

the wind behind them before, they have turned back into it now. Having

it the opposite way round to the way we thought will help them if the

wind is in that direction coming back because it will be more

sheltered as they take the inland route. The red Line, nor Melina blue

line, it is not a random painting on the road, it is the course they are

supposed to run next two and it is the shortest route, it is measured

properly and it makes distance for the marathon. If it is as random as

you suggest, the course measurement of the event is something I am

doubting. I think it is a valid point. We have been down there and

had three different versions given to us around the root of the course,

at least three. All of them different. We have seen with our own

eyes a couple of add-ons in the last stage, I call it touched the lamp

post and back. You know you have measured the course and suddenly,

hang on, we are 200 metres short. There is one of those painted on the

road in the last two miles, which to me is not good. It is not the sort

of thing a marathon course should have, as we get a beautiful view of

the bay. An update on the British athletes. You can see Christ the

Redeemer in the background. The British have picked up through the

second 5km section with Aly Dixon and Sonia Samuels running together,

one second apart. The two British athletes I think running sensibly in

the early stages. They were never going to contend with the African

runners at the front. The Americans have really committed themselves. It

will be interesting to see, at the moment Aly Dixon and Sonia Samuels,

about 70th, and I think they will finish higher up, everything being

well. They have started sensibly. They have picked up the pace but

they are a minute and a half behind the leaders. A quarter of the

distance completed and I think that is a sensible approach. The athletes

I think we'll contemn the gold medal. Mare Dibaba, the world

champion from last year. She won that race in a sprint finish into

the stadium. It will not be the stadium today but you would not be

surprised if it came to a sprint finish. The African contingent on

the left and the American contingent just behind them. Three of them

together. Amy Cragg, Shalane Flanagan, Linden. Now they have

settled. They have come back to the group will stop three Ethiopians,

three Kenyans and two athletes running for Bahrain. Shalane

Flanagan still has a bottle. Amy Cragg only just threw it away and

Linden still has hers and the Japanese girls have bears, hanging

onto the bottle to get as much fluid as possible and in contrast the

Kenyan, Ethiopian and Bahrain runners, a few sips and threw the

bottle to the side. They have not concentrated on getting the fluids

in in the early stages and that is a lesson Shalane Flanagan learned at

the US trials. It was painful to watch her in the closing stages. She

did not get her fluid right and really struggled and had to fight

very hard to make an Olympic team, for which she was the favourite, and

she is their strongest and quickest runner, but she only just scraped

into the team. She has learned from that and probably worked a lot on

what is in the bottles as well as how long she keeps them and the best

strategy. The other group hanging onto the water bottles are the

Japanese athletes. We will see this contingent. The Kenyan and Ethiopian

distance runners, all of them, two running for Bahrain. A recent

transfer. The pace has slowed or stopped 5.34, the seventh miles. As

Paula suggested, there might be a breeze in their faces. The best of

the Japanese at the minute, Kayoko Fukushi. Is it an Olympic ruled that

the people standing are not allowed to hand the water? You can hand

water. If you try to hand the water and I will demonstrate, you

basically hold it up in the palm of your hand. If you hold it in your

hand your hand blocks their hand and the bottle usually ends up on the

floor, so unless they know how to do it, they are better leaving it on

the table. The water bottles are squishy. To pick up a squishy

bottle, they lose the grip and it drops to the floor, which is what

happened there and usually that is why they have the sponges

afterwards. Do not try to drink the sponge, though! I felt like eating

one when I got back last night, I was so hungry! Kayoko Fukushi has

passed Linden already, who I think will pay for the extravagant fifth,

six miles. Trying to latch onto the back of the lead. Look at the

crowds. Good to see. So many people out on the route on a beautiful day.

The bay is behind them. Getting a free ticket to the Olympic Games,

watching the marathon. I wonder how many will make their way towards the

end up to the Sambadrome for the finish. We have not completed the

first of the three laps. This makes it a spectacle. It is a beautiful

recreational area, flamingo Bay, and fantastic opportunities to see the

athletes with them running up and down. You will be able to see them

six times and you can go back and watched the TV and CB finish. It's

great it is a free show. It is taking over the city and there has

been her criticism of crowds attending the events, and this is

the response. The women's marathon. They are responding to it, they have

a team of Brazilian athletes they can support. Looking at the camera

bikes and entourage, and looking at a very good field of distance

runners. The Ethiopians looking fairly comfortable. Looking at

Jemima Sumgong, the Kenyan athlete on the left. Many people'sfavourite.

Interesting to look at their faces, whether they are sweating more,

looking distressed. Linden has got back into the group but she is

agitated. Why not settle and enjoy being part of the lead group? She is

back at the front, again. I think what busy Lyndon is running

is a fair pace -- Desiree Linden. She runs the place that she wants to

want at, taking the time to get the fluid into her and she is really

running her own race. It looks like she is pushing the pace but I think

she is maintaining. We'll get a better idea when we get the next

split, we'll see how the pace has changed. She has worked her way up

gradually. She wasn't swayed by the fact that the Gucci made up seven,

eight seconds in the last kilometre -- Fukushi. She worked her own way

steadily. I don't think she likes the yo-yo. Pretty big group. Two

Koreans with one of the other Japanese athletes. All being strung

out now. One of the best of the European athletes back there.

Fukushi made a big surge, thinking it was her chance to get into the

group and those opportunities may not happen very often. Early stages

in the marathon. A big group at the beginning, the main contenders are

still involved. The marathon continues on the Red Button for

satellite and cable viewers and for everybody else you can continue

watching it on the BBC will -- BBC sport website.

But we have much to reflect upon here after the closing stages of the

rowing regatta yesterday. It has been an absolutely fantastic regatta

once again for Great Britain's rowers, who have topped the medal

table again. It is the beat, there is always the

beat. From the nervous heart it begins, the wandering moments

before. Then it is the rate of the heart and stroke lifting. The beat

is the rhythm of the boat. The blade that schemes and pulls through the

water. It is the steady hard breathing of you alone or of others

around. It is the beat that torments. It seems to never end. The

beat that takes you to exhaustion. And then the further still. To dig

deeper and pull harder, until lungs close, muscles fail and legs are on

fire, until you think you cannot find any more. And that is when you

must for there is always the beat. Time over time, over time again,

until finally it ends. And the noise of the world outside comes in.

COMMENTATOR: They've done it, Olympic champions! The crowd are

going mad. Exhaustion and triumph. Here at the spectacular Lagoa, Great

Britain's rowers got three gold, two silvers in the last seven or eight

days. The last to be confirmed on the plane to Rio, Victoria Thornley

and Katherine Grainger but they were the first to come good. This is

never the life I planned for myself, I never thought I would be a

one-time Olympian. Breast best performance by a British

women's team. One of my proudest medals was from Athens but tinged

with what might have been. Great Britain have never won a medal at

the Games. That is a medal that represented failure. I thought: if

I'm going to go again I didn't want to be driven by the ghost of

Beijing. For me, London was a different experience. What we are

seeing now is that dreams come true. Most people assumed that would be

the end, why would you want more after the perfect story? After

London, Katherine took time out of rowing, she came back but it hasn't

been easy, her partnership with Victoria Thornley wasn't gelling and

then everything in changed and in Rio they found form, into the final

and a strong start. Two crews going at it, exchanging the punches here.

Parliament are coming up level. Hanging on for dear life, Thornley

and Grainger, they will need to have one last push, dig deep into the

reserve here. They are going to win a medal, that is full sure, but for

them it is all about the Gold Medal. Poland have their bows ahead. The

last ten strokes, Katherine, you're going to recover. You can do it now.

You will never have another chance. Going harder and harder, Poland are

feeling the pain. They are going to be the Olympic champions. Here come

Poland, they get the Olympic gold. Great Britain, Thornley and

Grainger, getting the Silver Medal. They have come from nowhere this

season and they are going away Olympics all the medallists. At the

start of that, you would have taken it with both hands because we were

leading most of the way. The little tinge of what might have been but

considering what we've been through over the last couple of years, I'm

proud of what we've done. It is a medal that not many people would

have put money on. I am proud of you. Yeah, I'm so thankful to

Katherine, she did such a good job in the race. Quite a big headwind.

Not sure what happened in the end, whether it got a little bit tight. A

bit lost for words. A bit of a whirlwind. That was Thursday and

this is Sunday. Katherine, Vicky, well done, sporting these beautiful

and rather heavy Silver Medal. Has the satisfaction properly soaked in

now, Katherine? Still soaking in, probably. We've both seem the race

now -- seen the race and we are genuinely thrilled with the result

because the journey has been so hard to get the boat right. We have had

some ups and downs. And I think watching the race, you think, what

if? Honestly, we laid it all out on that day. Our best possible

performance. You can leave happy even with a silver, these days

because there is nothing more we could have done. Vicky, you are

properly famous now. It is crazy when some of my friends have

messaged me saying that they hurt strangers talking about the race, in

London. It is a bit of a whirlwind ever since, really. It is a bit

surreal. I had to turn off my phone in the week were with -- we were

racing to have no distractions and then I turned it on and I saw my

messages and my Twitter feed, it was crazy. Exploding. You alluded to

some of the problems you had, sixth in the world's and fourth place at

the Europeans, you weren't on the plane and then you were. In a

perverse way, did the uncertainty actually help you in that you were

trying to prove people wrong again? I don't think we set out, we were

not driven to prove people wrong. Some people have been supportive the

whole time and believed in the partnership more than we did at

times. I think what it was, when we finally got selected, and it was a

late selection like you said, we had 50 days until the Olympic final and

it was incredibly useful just to narrow the focus. We couldn't afford

any distractions or for anything to go wrong. Everyday we had to make a

step forward. That intensity and simplicity definitely rocketed us

through the field. You've been sitting alongside a woman who have

five Olympic medals, Vicky, and this is your first. What were you doing

in 2007 and what impact has your mum had on your career? So I was about

to go to university, I had a gap year and I was working at a local

pub and my mum saw an advert in the paper for sporting Giants, UK sport,

to try and get all people into some sports for London 2012. I think I

was the height that they wanted them to be and they thought I might be

quite good. She was originally thinking about volleyball, I didn't

know anything about rowing, I didn't know you had to be tall. I wanted to

use my height for something, I thought I was born six foot four, I

needed to use it for something. They thought I had some ability and could

be an Olympian in the sport of rowing and now we are here. It has

changed my life overnight, really. Extraordinary, being considerably

smaller than U2, I feel like I'm in the land of the giant when I'm with

the rowing team -- than you both. Myself and Ryan Houghton are the

tallest in the women's team, around six foot three, four, -- Fran. I

think one of the men, six foot eight. I'm just going to stay quiet

now for the time being! When you look, Katherine, at what you've

achieved, four silvers and a Gold Medal, is that enough, are you happy

to call it a day now and drift off into the sunset? Are you going to

get a job? I don't want to rush into getting a job. I've been growing for

40 years, I don't want to be quick to jump into anything. I think in a

way, most athletes will say, you keep coming back because enough is

never enough, you always want more, these will of the start line -- the

thrill. I'm so lucky I've got to do it five times over five Games. As

much as I love it and wish I could do it for the rest of my life, I

kind of accept that it should be other people's dreams now. I don't

know what I will do next but I will find something. We talk about

multiple medallists through the Games, not just the men's side but

the women's side as well. Is there a danger we will take it for granted?

Up until 2000, there weren't that many multiple medal winning women in

the British team. It has completely changed in this century. I think

it's great that we took it for granted because it becomes normal,

people shouldn't just be talking about winning a medal. Vicky talked

about this, it being her first, there might be more. I grew up when

Steve Redgrave was in the team and he won five. It is inspirational to

see other female athletes doing it. The new generation coming in think

it is normal to aim for that and that's great because the boundaries

should keep being stretched all the time. Vicky, you have sat in the

boat and being with this woman for a long time, you are roommates, I'm

not sure that the beds are long enough! What is the key thing you

have learnt by sitting next to this woman? Wow, that's a good question.

Everyone said that Katherine loves Olympic finals and I've never seen

her, I sit behind her, I can see her back and I am rowing behind her

every day in training, but there is something that was bursting out of

her in the race, something I've never really experienced being

behind her before. She is up for the races that matter and that is

something that stood out to me and was really impressive. Amazing to be

part of. Gives the impression I don't really try otherwise! What is

the one indulgence you have denied yourself for a long time that you

are now going to allow? Beer! Not recommended before a race but you

deserve one now. Ladies, thank you very much for a very thrilling

Thursday afternoon. That was an unexpected and wonderful surprise,

that medal, but expectations were considerably higher in the women's

pair and the men's four on Friday. COMMENTATOR: Heather Glover and

Helen Stanning, just one big race from defending their 2012 Olympic

gold-medal. This is the Olympic final, these are the days that they

live for. So, fingers crossed. They are way, good luck Helen and

Heather. This has been an absolutely sensational first 500 for Helen and

Heather. There was a push from Glover and

Stanning, opening up clear water. This is an imperious display. 100 at

now and the heads are still being held high, they will go to the line,

Denmark coming hard and New Zealand also. But they are going to run out

of water and so they should because Great Britain paid for it in the

opening 1000 metres. They are fearless, without equal, they are

history makers. Great Britain's Glover and Stanning, defending their

Olympic title and doing it in such style. Carnival time here and the

Lagoa for Great Britain. I have been so emotional this week

and that is not me at all. To see them come in was the most emotional

thing I have seen in my life. Two-time Olympic champions Heather

Stanning and Helen Glover. Here we go, we did it in Sydney and

Athens and Beijing and London. Can it be five in a row in men's coxless

four for Great Britain? COMMENTATOR: Not much in it between

Great Britain and Australia but both of those have opened up Clearwater.

They will be piling the pain onto the Australians and that is what I

would be enjoying and taking to the Australians now. The British have

come under pressure at the halfway mark. They have responded. They are

the Olympic champions. They have done it in style again. That is

exactly what we expect here. Hats off to Jurgen Grobler who has led

the British four to do this. We just nailed that. That was our

perfect race. We did it right at the right time on the right day, and

these boys... I mean, good lads. They must be really thrilled. They

wanted this more than anything. Now you are in this funny post race. It

is all over, they have all won. It is time for a drink! And this in

a nutshell is wide modular furniture is the furniture of choice in an

Olympic studio. We have them all. Helen and Heather and the boys. I am

sensing a little tired and emotional this morning? You will have to go

easy on us. In which case, ladies first!

We will not go into details! Helen and Heather, congratulations, you

are double defending Olympic champions. What have the last couple

of days been like since winning the second gold medal and how much more

difficult was it to achieve the first time around? It is a different

story from our first gold medal, which was a whirlwind, almost a

short-term partnership, we have not had a whole Olympiad training. We

were quiet favourites, we did not have much press and we enjoyed that.

When we won it took a long time to realise, because it had been a

quick, short, sharp introduction to being an Olympian. Now we have had

four years hard work. You don't work harder next time around and not win.

We put in more hours, more work and pressure and definitely more media

pressure, to have that resting on our shoulders weighed heavily on the

start line. The relief was more immediate than in London. I heard

your interview afterwards and you said you felt more emotional,

Heather. What did you mean by that? Physically I have been more

emotional. I am not someone who cries and I have cried a lot in the

last new days. I don't know why, it is crazy. London, we did not know

what it was like to be an Olympian, let alone and Olympic champion and

we came here knowing what it means and to lose that race would have

been devastating. There was a lot of internal pressure as well as the

external. It means so much. Emotionally to us and to our coach

and families who have come here. And you have done it. We always say,

what's next? Next is organising a hen night. A big responsibility. I

have come to the greatest place to have a hen party. I have the venue

sorted! The groom is here. That does not count. Mr Glover as he was

called yesterday. After the wedding, you have to make decisions. What is

in your mind? At the forefront of my mind, I love what I do and to walk

away from it, it would have to be something special the other side

because I feel privileged and fortunate to do this. In moments

like this, you are going to enjoy every minute and forget the cold

mornings, scraping ice off the boat, being sick after training too hard.

Those times you think, why do I put myself through this? I will take

some time and I think Heather will, to decompress and live a normal life

for a little while. No rash decisions. We will see. One of the

key moments after your success in London was going back to Lossiemouth

and being given a cream tea in the town Hall by the citizens of

Lossiemouth. What is the way forward for you? Exactly what Helen said,

having time out and trying to be a normal person. I went back to work

quickly after London and this time I will take a few more months and be

myself. Step away from training. See friends and family because I have

not seen a lot of my family in the past few years. Go to Scotland and

spent time there, which will be nice. 2020, do you have the vision

for that? I don't know. We will see. You have plenty of decisions to make

and we wish you the very best with the wedding. Thanks.

Succession planning is something that has been a brilliant part of

the men's four since 2000. Alex, you are part of the team from 2012 and

it has been a feature since 2000. Before we get into this, your son

was disappointed that your first gold medal was not made of

chocolate. Is he happy with the actual gold medal now? He is

nonplussed by it. He was born when I was rowing and he has seen so many

races on TV and he was crying because he wanted to turn over the

Channel to watch something else stop it is part of his life, normal to

him. One day, he will go to school and talk about the Olympics and

hopefully his friend will type his dad's name in and he will be able to

say, my dad has been to the Olympics. Twice has come home with a

gold medal. Talking about succession planning, why has the British team

got it right to for the last five Olympics? Constantine? The most

obvious source of continuity is the coach Jurgen Grobler. If you are

looking for one reason, it is probably him. He has a system and it

works. He drives us pretty hard. Every time the guys have ground out

a result on the day. There is no secret but it is hard and there is a

lot of pressure and it is about making it work. You won a bronze

medal in different boats in London and so this hanging around your

neck, what does it represent? Mo? 13 years of hard work. I was picked up

to win medals like this and you get a bronze medal in London and it is

bittersweet because myself and Stan, we believed we could win a gold

medal in 2012 and to go through the roller-coaster and the dedication to

come back and try to do it right. It feels really good to have it hanging

around our necks. You asked me to go easy on you today, was it a big

night last night? Yes, it was. Medium to large. It was OK. It is

probably cruel to ask what happens next. I do not think a quartet has

come back to successfully defend the men's four. Is it in your sites, all

will be succession planning kick in again? We have a culture where the

team is bigger than the individual, so it would be rare if the four of

us came back as a unit and did it again, but that would be special if

it did. Yes... It is difficult to commit to anything now except the

next few days! Get this man some water, please! You have earned the

success and gold medals and it is fantastic to have all six of you

sitting here with gold medals. Can I see how heavy it is. It is the first

question I am always asked. Heavy. And a lot of blood, sweat and tears

and hard work has gone into making them heavy. That was a Fabulous

Friday and there was a Super Saturday as eight and nine of them

in each boat got on the water. The women's eight have never won

medal at the Olympics. They have had chances and fallen short. This is a

major step forward for the women's eight and perhaps we can think there

will be a good showdown between the United States of America and Great

Britain. Great Britain easing out onto the

first, on to the second. Up goes the rate. 100 gone now. The crews will

lengthen out. They will be of maximum speed. At the moment they

are in last place. The British will have to draw themselves back. They

aren't out of it. The moment is now. Let's do this, Great Britain. In the

third 500. Get yourself back into contention, heads up and then we

will move on hard. The great British crew are into

bronze medal position. They won't settle for that now.

They are going quicker than Canada, definitely going quicker than

Canada. They are in the silver medal

position! This is brilliant from the British crew. Three feet ahead of

Romania. These are the moments we live for. The crowd are willing them

on. Great Britain are going to go into the record books with a medal

and it looks like it will be a silver. Hang on, girls!

They have absolutely done it! Absolutely sensational. The first

time the Great Britain have won an Olympic medal in the women's eights.

Has a lot of confidence and this year watching on the sidelines they

have at this amazing spirit and enjoyed their rowing. They could go

out and race their race and that is what we saw today. I am so proud of

these girls and 50 more behind us who got us here. I had no doubt,

even when we were last, we would go through. These girls are strong,

sassy and inspirational, I am so happy to be with them. I cannot

think of a more amazing experience to end on. Now a generation of

British rowers, those girls can really believe.

They are strong and sassy and they are all here. That historic medal

yesterday. Mel, Zoe, Zoe, Jess, Polly, Olivier, Katie and France. Is

sassy the best way to describe this lot? Sassy started off as a bit of a

joke because Fran was being sassy, giving someone some backchat and we

went with it with a joke and it has now taken off in an unfortunate way.

I think it is annoying people and so now we want to do it more. But they

were. They kept their heads, kept cool and carried on going. You all

made history. Fran, you have been involved in rowing for a long time

and you got a third silver medal. In terms of the women's eight, it was

the last two unit to get a full-time coach, the one that has been crying

out for this. Is there a feeling that you have at last fulfilled the

potential bubbling up and waiting in this boat? Absolutely. When I

started in 1995, the first British women's eights medal was in 1997 and

since then it has been building and building. We have an outstanding

coaching James Harris, who has put us together and it might seem we

have punched out this year into the medals but when I joined the group

in January, I thought wow, we can do it. And at that stage there was 14

to get into the nine of us. It is impressive and so many experiences

have gone into making this happen. We trust each other and believe in

ourselves. Can I ask about the stacking of the teams in rowing? In

the men's eight, it is usually the stacking goes into the men's four.

Over the years there has been a feeling the best rowers have gone

into the women's pair and double sculls. Now it seems to be a thing

of the past and this is a strong unit. How together have you been the

past few months? We have a very strong team. Every woman in the team

has medalled. That is something outstanding. There is probably no

other team in the world that can boast that. The women sitting beside

me, eight and a little one, are very strong, determined, focused women. I

think that is why we have come out on top. The same goes for Heather

and Helen and Catherine and Vicky, we have a strong team and that is

why we are delivering results. We have made history here, we have

two Zoes. For people who are not rowing and they see you out there

going for it, what role does the cox play and how significant was her

contribution on the day in that race? Absolutely, Zoe kept us in the

race when we were at last. I don't think any of us actually realised

that apart from possibly me because I couldn't see anybody from the

front of the boat. Zoe kept really cool and calm and called the race,

called our processes and patterns. And yeah, really pulled us into the

Silver Medal position. It was our physicality, but her words and

motivation. Mel, looking back on the race, for the Americans, it is their

race and they absolutely stack it with their best athletes and you got

close to them this time. It is the real dominance of that nation in

this event going back to 2006. Yeah I think as a group we were careful

not to put them on too much of a pedestal. They've obviously got this

huge history and haven't lost a race in a long time, but they are women

just like us and I'm sure that they train just as hard as us and they

were just as nervous yesterday morning. We just tried to see them

as other girl sitting next to us, really. Now we talk about the

future. Jess, the future, 2020, Tokyo. We will put this on you. What

happens now, and how quickly do you find out whether you are going to

stay together? What happens about the personnel now? In rowing it is

very much a four-year project. We go through the Olympiad is and for

quite a few of us this may be our last one. Katy and I have been to

three of them together so finishing here with a silver is great. I think

some of the girls will be carrying on into 2020 but we will have a

great week now, sit now and do a bit of a review and go our separate

ways. We always have union Rose now for evermore. You've made a good

point because Katie, you were in the last two boats in the last two

Olympics, so has this medal been a long time coming from your

perspective? That's the first thing that David Tanner said at the end of

the race, which made me cry straightaway, it has been a long

time. I think for us, Jess and I, we were in Beijing, struggling with

illness denied before the final and it was heartbreaking to have had

that but I think we both knew that it was something that was going to

be there for us in the third 500 that nobody else had, that strength.

A lot of it, exactly. Bolivia, I wanted to ask about the celebrations

over the last few hours two Bolivia -- Olivia. You seem the most quiet

at the moment. Yesterday everyone talked about me, the one of the crew

who was the lion and I don't think I've had the maximum capacity of

sleep. Last night was fun, we went to the British House and we met the

families and celebrated. We haven't had enough time to go back to the

hotel and have a look at our phones and celebrate with everybody at home

yet but that is all to come. I'm sure there will be many nights of it

this week. You deserve it because I know that a lot of people watching

rowing can see the sheer pain that you go through towards the end. I'm

not going to ask you to describe it, but Karen, there must be a point

when you think, clearly, the pain is worth it but when people see the

naked pain, what would attract them to rowing at this point? I don't

even know! I think afterwards, the feeling you get, it is so painful,

but you have done well, even if you haven't, you just feel really good.

I think that is what attracts us to it. But yeah it was quite painful,

for me it was a painful race yesterday. I was finding it quite

hard to celebrate! After the pain comes the pleasure and you deserve a

lot of good times ahead. Ladies, thank you for an historic

breakthrough in women's rowing. In the men's eight, we hadn't had a

Gold Medal for, oh, 16 years. That was about to change yesterday as

well. The key thing from the British point

of view, don't dwell on the result until its history. Nine men, one

common goal, to achieve it they know that they will have to bare their

souls and leave everything out on the lake. And if they do that, they

know that they will be rewarded for it. The British have jumped out and

Great Britain are leading. This is where I expect Britain to be ahead,

500 metres, but it is the second 500 that is going to determine the race.

It is all going the right way so far. Yeah, they have a good rhythm

going, Will Satch is setting a good rhythm. Going stride for stride with

the Germans but Great Britain going slightly better so they are inching

away. Now into the third 500, surely they've done enough here? They can't

rest but now they will think that it is going their way. They are strong,

they are long, the Germans are giving it one last push, so too the

Netherlands, but Great Britain are hanging on and they do it with their

heads up and their pride intact here. Almost there, just the last

couple of strokes and it is Great Britain in the men's eight, the

Olympic champions and that has a fantastic ring about it.

The fists go up and Phelan Hill, welcome to the club. Olympic

champion for you and your crew. We salute everyone of you. Your son,

Scott is the Olympic champion. Can't believe it. I couldn't envisage this

moment, it was difficult to know. We were watching the race and seeing

them off the start and realised they were taking believe from the front

and they kept it. It was incredible. Can't believe he has actually done

it, they've done it. Another one. Yeah, another one. Just...

Fantastic, what the guys did. Top race. Matching the coxless four.

These guys were magnificent, absolute gladiators. The angriest,

the fiercest, the most ruthless. Everyone you might be upset by

missing their birthday, thank you for putting up with it, basically.

Thanks for getting us ready for that one, it was a big race. Just, I'm

speechless. And I have to say, having not had a

single guest in the studio on my shift, I've had 26 in the last ten

minutes! I'm really enjoying this. Thank you for your efforts. Phelan,

I want you to introduce everybody and give me a one word adjective to

describe them. Oh, my God. OK, on the far side, Paul, besides being

tall, top knot. Matthew, late! Scott, bald. Ten ferry, shoulders.

Hodgey, old! Pete, Camara! Will, mouthy. Nice. And, Pete, one word

for him? Did you say mouthy four will -- the Thames Faye, I would use

it for you. -- for Will. John! -- trunk.

You have got your coconut here in the tropical country. You can't go

anywhere without one of these babies. Hydration is required. For

these two dies it is a third Gold Medal in a row, congratulations,

what has this team done together -- these guys. We had done something

very special together. Really special and I'm still lost for

words. I just saw the clip and it takes more than 24 hours to get your

thoughts together. How we've done it is easier than what we have done.

And how we've done it, Jurgen. We are very different personalities. He

identified that early when we got together but it didn't stop us from

gelling. We have the best mix but it is Jurgen who found the way to get

the best out of us, especially yesterday. We tried through the

season our very hardest and we had a lot of ups and downs and yesterday,

in his words, was a masterpiece and credit to him. Andy, how do you jell

personalities like this? There must be times when you get on each

other's nerves. Yes, of course, without a doubt. We are eight, nine,

including the coaches, 11 very passionate individuals. But I think

the key has been not to try and compress everybody into one model of

what they should be. Actually embracing our strengths, individual

strengths, access our weaknesses and form the crew together. It is

different together every time. That is the thing about rowing teams, you

approach it from the same angle each time. This is a unique blend of

individuals. As Pete said, under Jurgen's guidance, this is one of

his secrets, he doesn't try and break anybody into a certain mould,

he will enable you to get the most out of yourself and that's a very

powerful part and it was behind yesterday's win. How dominant was it

from your perspective? I think we just kind of went out, we were

irrelevant to what the other boats were doing, we were going to do our

own thing. We came through halfway knowing everything we had done had

worked a treat, we were just watching everyone fighting behind

us. One of the most dominant eights races I've been in. The confidence

to keep moving. To me it felt like one of the easiest races are done

because you just sit there and lap it up, brilliant. Scott, looking at

the Great Britain medal table, top again, is there a feeling of

collective celebration? I won't ask you to go into details, it might get

ugly, but overall, how would you rate this entire performance by the

British rowing team? I think it's been strong. I think from the

heavyweight men's side of things, incredibly strong. There are people

who have missed out. It is difficult when you are celebrating golds,

because people haven't got what they wanted and there are people on the

team who haven't achieved what they want. It is a bit of mixed emotions.

For us, definitely, great celebration. Matt, I know that James

Cracknell described you as the best role and not to have won a gold yet,

before that final -- rower. It is nice of James to say that. It is

nice to finally not be that person. So yeah, it is a long time coming,

especially for me, it is my third time in the eights, with what we did

in Beijing and London. I felt that this time was the right chance and

we were going to make it happen and the confidence we've had this

reason, we've had ups and downs but we never lost confidence that we

would do it on day. Like I said, we talk about four year cycles but for

me it has been a lot longer than that, it has been 16 years of

building up to this. So as far as I'm concerned, this is my swansong.

Yeah, it's a good way to finish off. It's a hell of a way to finish it

off. Tall Paul, if I can call you that, in your interview you talked

about the birthdays missed. We aren't talking about your birthdays.

I didn't miss them! They still happen. Who's did you miss and how

special has it been for those involved?

You watch people win medals and with the Olympics and you watch their

interviews and you think they are spaced out and you think you will

not fall into the cliches and you are there and you are totally wiped

out and you fall into saying the same things. It is not just

birthdays, all of us have guessed far more important events than

birthdays. Parents, friends, girlfriends, everyone, a lot of

people put up with us for a long time to make any of this happen and

all credit to them. Birth days is a representation of who knows what.

Things we don't even know we have missed, that is how bad it is!

Finally, can I ask Will, how much does it hurt when you are in the

last closing metres of a race? Is it worth it? I thought you meant this

morning! It hurts like hell. The difference is when you are there,

the camaraderie we have in the eight, and developing down the

track, it is something that carries you through and when you are in that

position you feel like a god. Yesterday was just a dream. I love

that. This is God in the hot seat, really, in the Cox's seat. Garry

Herbert was part commentator and part cox yesterday. When they are

down, when they are not good, are they keywords that can flick the

switch for these guys? It is hard, that one. It is difficult. Most of

the time we have been fantastic. It is funny, all crews are different.

This crew, there has never been a real time when we have been really

down. Every session we have gone out, the guys have always delivered.

Even when you just ask them to do something, that has been the best

thing about this boat, the fact they have always responded positively. I

don't think there has been a single word that has made the difference, I

think everyone is highly motivated, we know what we need to do, we build

a strong rhythm and pattern, and we are just able to do it on the day.

Like gods. Fantastic! Gentleman, thank you. It has been a pleasure to

see you race over the past days and you can drink a few more coconut

waters. Well played. A lot of other people

are working hard right now, at least -- not least on the roads around

Rio. We are heading back to the women's marathon.

That is the gap between Linden of the USA who, on more than one

occasion, has tried to force the pace. She is catching a little bit

the lead group who are maybe having a breather, the lead group has not

changed too much in recent miles. It is this lady here, from Belarus, who

has been the agitator, wanting to push things on. For the first time,

a little gap appears. The Ethiopian and Kenyan and athletes from

Bahrain, and Mazuronak forcing things are and how quickly all the

Kenyans and Ethiopians respond? Just struggling now, the American

champion. Two Americans in the leading group. Shalane Flanagan, the

medallist from 2008 in the 10,000 metres is still in that group.

Mazuronak is trying to press it but in the group following, you have

Mare Dibaba, Kiprop, the runner-up in the World Championships, and

third place in the World Championships last year. They are

all there. We have an outstanding group of athletes in this leading

group. The weather is getting warmer. The conditions have not been

conducive for distance running this morning but we will have a great

race now. Almost an hour's running left and so plenty of action ahead

and there will be a lot of changes. That will not be be finishing

position in this marathon. Just an update on the British athletes Aly

Dixon and Sonia Samuels, who have moved through the field. They were

in 70th after the first 10K, now moving up into 42nd and 43rd. They

have not been more than a second apart throughout the race. Fionnuala

Britton Cormack is a little bit ahead, in 30 seconds position, from

Ireland. -- Finola McCormack -- Fionnuala McCormack.

And those here who are going to pay a price in the later stages.

Including Kiprop, comfortable for a while and suddenly just a bit too

fast and so now only one Kenyan in the leading group. What you will

notice is as much as Amy Crooke and Desi Linden have dropped off the

lead group, they won't probably go back as quickly as Kiprop, because

it is a different mentality and style of attacking the race. The

Kenyan mentality is go with the lead group and stay as long as you can

and when you are done, you are done. Amy Crooke and Desi Linden will have

paced the race to finish evenly. Desi Linden have whittled the gap

down to 20 seconds and whether she will be able to catch Amy Crooke and

run with her, may be work together to give themselves company and try

to make inroads -- Amy Cragg. The group is down to seven. We are

looking at Amy Cragg and Kiprop, fading of that group. Amy Cragg

rallying more than Kiprop. Kiprop is stretched as watch as she can. If

there is company, that is an advantage, but the gap is eight

seconds and growing. The previous smile was 5.30 four.

They are still around 2.25 pace. Picking up after halfway just for a

little bit, and now has settled down. Mazuronak is looking behind to

see how many she has got rid off. She has got rid of two, Kiprop and

Amy Cragg. Chelimo. Tirfi Tsegaye looking comfortable. Shalane

Flanagan, as she has done the whole time, will not run a step further

than she needs to, following the red line. Mazuronak drifts across as

they followed the red Line which is supposed to go tangentially around

the course. Linden has good site of the athletes ahead. She has stuck to

her task well. The Americans acquitting themselves brilliantly in

this Olympic marathon, given the conditions we have. There is so far

to go in terms of what can happen in this race. The drama always happens

in the last five, six miles and it is great we still have so many in

contention. We have had good championship marathons in recent

years and we a be heading for another one. In that group, the

world champion, Mare Dibaba, of Ethiopia, running a quiet race. She

has not bothered the lead, not troubling anybody, that settling in