Old Viking William Satch (07O) headed to Rio in order to compete in the 2016 Olympics. Following a successful four years after achieving a Bronze medal at the London 2012 Olympics, Satch won three successive World Championship titles, and was selected to row in the Mens’ Coxed Eight for Great Britain. Four years of incredibly hard work, training camps, European Championships and World Cup golds later, and Satch became an Olympic Gold medallist in Rio on Sunday.
Despite a very successful four years since the London Olympics, beating the world-class rivals to claim Olympic Gold was by no means a dead cert. In fact, the GB crew had had an enduring battle against the German crew during the 2015 rowing events. At the European Championships in Poznan, Poland, the crew narrowly lost out to Germany, taking the Silver medal. The crew also managed to win a Bronze medal during the European Championships in Brandenburg, but had everything to play for in the Olympics.
After achieving first place during the heats in Rio, the GB crew were filled with determination for their race on Saturday 13 August. The crew took an early lead, and managed to maintain that lead. Despite Germany and New Zealand gaining ground on them, the GB rowers did not let that perturb them, and continued to row at an incredible pace until the finish line. Crossing the line in five minutes 34 seconds, the crew secured first place and the Olympic Gold medal! They become the first crew since the Sydney Olympics in 2000 to have achieved the Gold in the Men’s Coxed Eight – a crew with another Old Viking, Ben Hunt-Davis (90W). Will Satch has been rowing in this crew since 2013, and joins Hunt-Davis as an Olympic Champion Old Viking! It must be something in the water…