When USRowing National Team member Mary Jones normally races, she locks on just her coach's voice.
On Friday, during the Lightweight Women's Single Sculls finals at the 2017 World Rowing Championships in Sarasota, it was different.
As Jones fought five other competitors through the middle of the course, the athletes started to pull closer to the grandstand. Jones could hear it.
"U.S.A. ... U.S.A. ... U.S.A."
With eventual winner Kirsten McCann of South Africa in control, Jones knew her best hope was a medal.
As she pulled within the final 250 meters, she thought it was time to "do something crazy."
She spent every last ounce of energy in her body to squeeze out a third-place finish and a bronze medal with a time of 7:42.45 for the 2,000 meters. It was the only medal by an American on Friday. Marieke Keijser of the Netherlands won the silver in 7:41. McCann's winning time was 7:38.78.
Among the gold medal winners on Friday were France in the Lightweight Men's Quadruple Sculls (5:51.85); Italy in the Lightweight Women's Quadruple Sculls (6:33.97), Hungary in the Men's Coxed Pair (6:54.80); Ireland in the Lightweight Men's Pair (6:32.42), and Ireland's Paul Donovan in the Lightweight Men's Single Sculls (6:48.87).
The competition continues Saturday and Sunday at Nathan Benderson Park.
Switzerland's Patricia Merz collapses after finishing fourth in the Lightweight Women's Single Sculls final on Friday in Sarasota.
South Africa's Kirsten McCann, the gold medalist, watches American Mary Jones step forward to accept the bronze in the Lightweight Women's Single Sculls on Friday.
Brazil's Jairo Klug and Diana Barcelos de Oliveira react after winning the gold in the Para Rowing Mixed Double Sculls.
The Hungarian team accepts gold medals after winning the Men's Coxed Pair competition.
Hungary's Bela Simon Jr., Adrian Juhasz and Andrea Vanda Kollath react after winning the Men's Coxed Pair competition. Kollath is the coxswain.
Brazil's Jairo Klug and Diana Barcelos de Oliveira had the honor of hearing their national anthem play first in Sarasota.
Brazil's Diana Barcelos de Oliveira (in green) walks to the medal stand. She paired with Jairo Klug to win the Para-Rowing Mixed Double Sculls.
Great Britan's Angus Groom and Thomas Graeme try to catch their breath after qualifying for the Men's Double Sculls on Friday.
Ireland's Mark O'Donovan and Shane O'Driscoll celebrate after winning the gold in the Lightweight Men's Pair event on Friday.
Women's Single Sculls competitors battle in a semifinal on Friday.
Russia's Nikita Bolozin and Aleksei Kiiashko are dejected after finishing out of the medals in Lightweight Men's Pair action on Friday.
The grandstand was packed for the finals matches on Friday and will be again both Saturday and Sunday as the competition continues at Nathan Benderson Park.
