The crew of Fergus Hamilton, Alex Hill, Tim Masters and Jack Robertson also hope to leave their own identity in Australia’s rich history in the boat at the Olympic Games when they race the last event of day six at the Stade Nautique de Vaires-sur-Marne, east of Paris.

“We’re excited. The crew is going well. We have tapered nicely, are feeling fresh and ready to step it up in the final,” Jack said.

Australia has an impressive history in the Men’s Fours; from the rich era of the Oarsome Foursome in the 1990s and early 2000s to the 2020 Tokyo Games where Australia won gold.

From the Tokyo Games, Alex is the only member of the winning crew racing in the 2024 Paris four. Alex also raced in the boat at the 2016 Rio Games that won a silver medal.

“We have Alex anchoring our boat and with his experience to draw on from Rio and Tokyo, but our combination is an entirely new thing,” Jack said.

“Our strengths are different to what the Tokyo four’s strengths were. Part of the process has been figuring out what our signature is, harnessing that and using it to our advantage.”

Also racing is Australia’s Tara Rigney in the Women’s Single Sculls Semi-Final.

Rigney, who has drawn lane four, needs a top three finish to make the A Final.

The presence of Dutch world champion Karolien Florijn in the same race will add an extra layer of interest in the race, especially should both be in the fray for the win.

Reigning Olympic champion, Emma Twigg of New Zealand, has drawn the second semi-final.

Day Six is a day of destiny for the Rowsellas Men’s and Women’s Coxed Eights. Both crews will race repechages in need of a top four finish to make their A Finals on Saturday.

The women’s eight of Hayley Verbunt (cox), Paige Barr, Sarah Hawe, Giorgia Patten, Jacqueline Swick, Georgina Rowe, Bronwyn Cox, Lucy Stephan, Katrina Werry have drawn lane three in their repechage, racing against Italy, the US, Canada and Denmark.

The men’s eight of Kendall Brodie (cox), Jack O’Brien, Angus Dawson, Alexander Purnell, Jack Hargreaves, Angus Widdicombe, Spencer Turrin, Josh Hicks and Ben Canham will race against Italy, the Netherlands, Germany and Romania from lane two.

In B Finals, Amanda Bateman and Harriet Hudson in the Women’s Double Sculls, and the Women’s Four of Olympia Aldersey, Lily Alton, Molly Goodman and Jean Mitchell where a win is a realistic goal for both Australian crews.

The Rowsellas are buoyed by the success in the Women’s Pairs semi-final by Annabelle McIntyre and Jess Morrison, who are dual world championship silver medallists, and will race in the Olympics A Final on Friday.

The Australians came from behind in lane four to beat the US, followed by Lithuania, China, Spain and Ireland in that order. Only the first three qualified for the final.

In the first semi-final, Dutch world champions Ymkje Cleverin and Veronique Meester won.

Also racing was the Australia’s Women’s Quad Sculls crew of Caitlin Cronin, Laura Gourley, Rowena Meredith, Ria Thompson in the B Final where they placed second.

Day Six competition begins with Tara Rigney in the Single Sculls at 5:30pm AEST, followed by the Women’s Eights at 6.10pm AEST, Men’s Eights at 6.20pm AEST, Women’s Double Sculls at 6.30pm AEST, Women’s Fours at 6.54pm AEST and then the Men’s Fours at 8.10pm AEST.

Rupert Guinness

Men’s Four plan for ‘signature’ performance in gold medal tilt