PARIS, France — Nearly a century after the "Boys in the Boat" won a gold medal for the U.S. in Berlin, another American team full of former University of Washington Huskies won a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
On Saturday, the team placed third with a time of 5:25.28, placing them on the podium for bronze. Great Britain finished first with a time of 5:22.88 seconds with the Netherlands close behind at 5:23.92.
The U.S. men's eight boat is coached by UW rowing coach Michael Callahan and features four UW alumni: Chris Carlson, Rielly Milne, Evan Olson and Pieter Quinton.
"We had to defend against Germany and some other pushes along the way and get yourself across the finish line and win a medal. I mean, it's hard to hard to complain about the color. This is you know, the elite of the elite and the best of the best, and these guys put so much into it and it's just really an amazing part to be part of it," said Callahan.
Olson and Milne grew up in the Seattle area, with Olson hailing from Bothell and Milne coming from Woodinville. UW had a total of six rowers earn spots in the A finals on Monday. Former UW captain and 2020 Olympic bronze medalist Jacob Dawson helped Great Britain win its gold medal on Saturday.
"It's a really competitive environment," Olson said of the rowing program at UW. "That competition, just grinding each other into the ground and making each other better every day, that just creates a culture and an atmosphere, where people who are average, skinny guys like me who are little wide-eyed freshman, in time we go out there and learn how to become exceptional racers."