Oxfordshire rower narrowly misses out on gold at Olympics (From The Oxford Times)

Oxfordshire rower narrowly misses out on gold at Olympics

12:36pm Saturday 4th August 2012 in News By Rhianne Pope

Wallingford rower Zac Purchase has won silver at the Olympics, but narrowly missed out on gold in a nailbiting finish.

Mr Purchase and his partner Mark Hunter were pipped at the post in the lightweight double skulls this afternoon.

The gold went to Mads Rasmussen and Rasmus Quist of Denmark when they pulled past the Brits in the closing moments of the race.

New Zealand took bronze, which had to be restarted due to a fauly seat clip in teh Team GB boat.

Interviewed after the race, Mr Purchase was fighting back tears after coming so close to winning.

He said: "We had a bit of a problem with the seat but it had no bearing on the race.

"We had the best race we could. The crowd have been absolutely amazing, I just wish we could have been a little bit faster."