Andrew Triggs-Hodge, 33, a rower raised in Hebden, North Yorkshire, was in Great Britain's gold-winning men's coxless fours crew.

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However, there was better news for Britain in the women's coxless pairs as Cath Bishop and Katherine Grainger claimed a surprise victory.

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Chris Jones and Borris Darcy were successful in the intermediate double sculls and Steve Randall and Phil Davies won in their open coxless pairs event.

BBC: Ross Rowing Club

All four members of the Great Britain coxless four that won gold at the World Championships in Gifu earlier this year take part in the 550-crew Fours race.

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Williams, who won Olympic gold in Athens with Matthew Pinsent, James Cracknell and Ed Coode, clinched the 2006 world coxless four title with Reed, Hodge and Alex Partridge.

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He and the rest of that great coxless four team led the race from the beginning, it was a tight finish, incredibly tight but very exciting and ensured the place in history was hard won.

BBC: News Online

He was forced to withdraw from the coxless four when he sustained a stress fracture of the rib, leaving him with a deflated lung, and could only watch on as the crew claimed gold without him.

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