Aug. 1, 2012

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Watch Replay (Race starts at 2:59:00, medal ceremony at 3:30:00)

Watch Replay (Shortened race with NBC commentary)

BOSTON - With Prince William and over 25,000 other screaming fans in attendance, Boston University men's crew alum Florian Mennigen ('06) helped Germany's eight boat edge Canada and Great Britain to win the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games on Wednesday morning. With the victory, he becomes the third-ever Terrier and first since 1988 to win a gold medal in the sport of rowing.

"We're very excited for Florian," said BU men's crew head coach Thomas Bohrer, who won the silver for the United States' coxless four boat in 1988 and 1992. "First of all, he epitomizes a great athlete and great person. When he was at BU, he had an excellent work ethic at the boathouse and in the classroom. It does not surprise me that he's in this position."

Helping guide BU to the Grand Final at the 2005 IRA Regatta and Eastern Sprints, Mennigen was a co-captain his senior year and received the E. Ray Speare Award in 2006 as the university's top male scholar-athlete.

Germany entered the competition at the Eton Dorney Rowing Centre at Dorney Lake having captured the last three World Championship titles. With Mennigen sitting in the seven seat, the crew kept its unbeaten streak dating back to 2009 intact with a winning time of 5:48.75 to win the high-profile event for the first time since the country was unified in 1990.

Coincidentally, former Terrier Thomas Mollenkamp ('86) was a member of West Germany's boat that won the gold medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. A member of the United States' coxless four boat in 1960, Ted Nash ('54) is the only other alum to have finished first.

Canada took second at 5:49.98, while Great Britain earned the bronze at 5:51.18. Competing in his second Olympic Games along with Mennigen, Jozef Klaassen ('07) tried to help the Netherlands claim a medal but came up short by just 0.54 seconds at 5:51.72 for a fifth-place finish.

Over the 2,000-meter course, Germany led Great Britain at every 500m check point but never by more than 0.4 seconds. At one point, the Brits were on track to take the lead after the midway point but the Germans bulldozed their way to victory to finish about a half length ahead of Canada, which slipped past for the silver in the final 100 meters.

The Terriers had one other alum competing today. Racing in the men's pair semifinals, Meindert Klem ('10) placed sixth in his heat and will next race in the B Final (places 7-12) on Friday.

Men's Eight 'A' Final Results
1) Germany (F. Mennigen) - 5:48.75
2) Canada - 5:49.98
3) Great Britain - 5:51.18
4) United States - 5:51.48 
5) Netherlands (J. Klaassen) - 5:51.72
6) Australia - 5:51.87

Men's Pair Semifinals I Results
1) New Zealand - 6:48.11
2) Italy - 6:55.82
3) Canada - 6:56.47
4) United States - 6:58.58
5) Germany - 7:02.16
6) Netherlands (M. Klem) - 7:13.77