Lightweight Double Sculls, Women

Romania, with Constanţa Burcică, had never lost an Olympic final in the women’s lightweight double sculls and was represented at the 2004 edition by Burcică and her partner from the 2000 Games, Angela Alupei. Romania had not been as dominant at the World Championships, however, having won bronze in 2001 and 2003 with different crews, as Germany’s Claudia Blasberg had won the 2001 and 2003 titles, as well as silver in 2002 and at the 2000 Olympics. In Athens, Blasberg was partnered with Daniela Reimer. Romania won its heat in the opening round in Olympic record time, but this record was quickly broken by Australians Sally Newmarch and Amber Halliday , the latter of whom was the 2002 World Champion and 2003 runner-up. Germany, meanwhile, took the other heat. In the semi-finals, Romania and Australia were victorious in their heats, while Germany avoided elimination by a margin of less than a second. In the final, however, the first four finishers, Romania, Germany, the Dutch duo of Kirsten van der Kolk and Marit van Eupen, and Australia were all spaced out by at least one second in that order.