U.S. adds to World Rowing Championships medal count

With 600 meters to go, the United States Women's Pair (2-) of Megan Kalmoe and Tracy Eisser found itself in a battle for podium position. 

It was apparent at that point no one would catch the New Zealand pair of Kerri Gowler and Grace Prendergast, but second place was still an option. In order to catch it, the U.S. would need to hold off Denmark, and in the process bury any lingering thoughts of last summer's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. 

There, both Kalmoe and Eisser were part of the U.S. Women's Quadruple Sculls crew, which finished fifth, off the medal stand. Kalmoe said neither rower was happy with the performance, and wanted to avenge that performance at Nathan Benderson Park, albeit in a different event. 

With the jam-packed crowd on their side, they did exactly that, finishing in 7:04.37 and wrestling the silver medals away from Denmark, which finished approximately two seconds later. 

"To have someone to duke it out with blow-for-blow down the course was really fun," Kalmoe said. "I think it was extra special to do it in front of this incredible crowd. We were really counting on the grandstands being loud and uplifting and exciting coming into the last 600 meters and it definitely was.

"It's awesome. There's really not much else that's better. This is the reason we do this and work so hard for years and years and put in the time.  To come here and have that work pay off in front of the home crowd was really special."

Gowler and Prendergast won with a time of 7:00.53. 

Kalmoe and Eisser were not the only U.S. team to reach the medal stand on Saturday.

The Para-Rowing 3 Mixed Coxed Four (4+) team of Danielle Hansen, Zachary Burns, Michael Varro, Jaclyn Smith and coxswain Jennifer Sichel also took silver, finishing their A final in 7:18.80. Great Britian won the event in 6:55.70. 

The U.S. Lightweight Women's Double Sculls (2x) tandem of Michelle Sechser and Emily Schmieg (6:56.38) took bronze, less than three-tenths of a second behind silver medalists Jackie Kiddle and Zoe McBride of New Zealand. Gianina-Elena Beleaga and Ionela-Livia Lehaci of Romania took the gold (6:55.88). 

Americans now lay claim to four medals overall, after Mary Jones' bronze-medal performance Sept. 29 in the Lightweight Women's Single Scull. 

Other winners: Italy won the Men's Pair (2-) in 6:16.22,  France won the Men's Lightweight Double Sculls in 6:13.10, Australia took both the Men's Four (4-), in 5:55.24, and the Women's Four (4-), in 6:33.58, the Netherlands won the Women's Quadruple Sculls (4x) in 6:16.72 and Lithuania (5:43.10) closed out the day with a win the Men's Quadruple Sculls (4x).