Golden crew has Buffalo coach
Terhaar mentors U. S. women’s eight
BEIJING — Tom Terhaar, the head coach of the U. S. women’s rowing team, was asked if he had been confident about his team’s chances heading into the eight final late Sunday afternoon. He broke out laughing.
“Come on, I’m from Buffalo,” Terhaar said. “Realistically, well, you never know. It’s the Olympics, and anything can happen.”
But in rowing’s ultimate race, the ultimate result happened. Scott Norwood’s kick went through the uprights. Brett Hull’s shot went wide. Tennessee’s kick returner stepped out of bounds.
The U. S. women won the gold medal in the eight in dominant fashion. They surged to a .73-second advantage on the field in the first 500 meters and opened the lead to 1.78 seconds over Romania at the midpoint. They won by almost two full seconds over the Netherlands, which won silver. Romania, the defending Olympic champion, was third. Click here to see the race.
The Americans had finished second in 2004 in Athens, their first medal in the women’s eight in 20 years. This was their first gold since the 1984 Games in L. A.
“Before we left Princeton, we gathered and watched that 1984 race,” said coxswain Mary Whipple of Sacramento, Calif. “I made the call halfway through the race saying that it was just like 1984 and that we couldn’t let them down. Then we just motored ahead.”
Whipple said the U. S. women learned a lot from the ’04 experience. Much of the teaching was done by Terhaar, a St. Joe’s graduate and a product of the West Side Rowing Club. Terhaar has been the women’s national coach since 2001.
“I feel great,” said Terhaar, who turns 39 next month. “Historically, some of the athletes I’ve worked with over the years have lost this race a couple of times, so I’m very happy for them. They took control. The plan was to be patient for a little while and then go for it. So at the 1,000, when we were up by a significant margin, I knew we were in good shape.”
Terhaar, who is married to two-time women’s Olympian Jennifer Dore, said he is in regular contact with folks back in his native Buffalo.
“I’m headed back there in five days,” he said. “My whole family is back there. All my friends are there. I’m going to the bachelor party of an ex- Olympian, Tom Murray. We’re headed back there in the beginning of September. We’re going to a Bills game.”
