Princeton University Athletics
Ahrens Rows To Gold In Athens; Silver For Nelson
August 22, 2004 | Heavyweight Rowing
Aug. 22, 2004
Chris Ahrens shared the Roper Trophy in 1998 as Princeton's top senior sportsman. It was hardly the last athletic honor he would win. Ahrens, rowing Sunday morning in Athens, helped the Unites States win its first Men's Eights Olympic gold medal since 1964. The U.S. boat took the lead early and held off a modest charge for the runner-up Dutch boat to win in 5:42.48, 1.27 seconds ahead of the Netherlands. Lianne Bennion-Nelson '95 earned a silver medal with in the Women's Eights. The United States team led early in the race before Romania took control to win by almost two seconds. The Netherlands finished third. Danika Harris-Holbrook '95 finished sixth in the Women's Quadruple Sculls. Soren Thompson '05 was part of the U.S. team that finished sixth in the team epee fencing competition. MEN'S EIGHT 'A' FINAL 1. United States (Jason Read, Wyatt Allen, Chris Ahrens, Joseph Hansen, Matt Deakin, Dan Beery, Beau Hoopman, Bryan Volpenheim, Pete Cipollone), 5:42.48; 2. Netherlands, 5:43.75; 3. Australia, 5:45.38; 4. Great Britain, 5:49.43; 5. Canada, 5:51.66; 6. France, 5:53.83. WOMEN'S EIGHT 'A' FINAL 1. Romania, 6:17.70; 2. United States (Kate Johnson, Samantha Magee, Megan Dirkmaat, Alison Cox, Anna Mickelson, Laural Korholz, Caryn Davies, Lianne Bennion-Nelson, Mary Whipple), 6:19.56; 3. Netherlands, 6:19.85; 4. China, 6:21.71; 5. Germany, 6:21.99; 6. Australia, 6:31.65. WOMEN'S QUADRUPLE SCULLS 'A' FINAL 1. Germany, 6:29.29; 2. Great Britain, 6:31.26; 3. Ukraine, 6:34.31; 4. Australia, 6:34.73; 5. Russia, 6:36.49; 6. United States (Michelle Guerette, Hilary Gehman, Kelly Salchow, Danika Harris-Holbrook), 6:39.67.