Former UVA rowing standout Inge Janssen earned a silver medal in the women’s quadruple sculls Thursday morning (Aug. 11) at the Rio Olympics.
The Netherlands finished second in a time of 6:50.33, just behind Germany (6:49.39), and ahead of Poland (6:50.86). Janssen (’10) was in the 3-seat of the Dutch quadruple sculls that also included stroke-seat Carline Bouw, 2-seat Nicole Beukers and bow-seat Chantal Achterberg.
It is Janssen’s first Olympic medal in her second appearance. She finished eighth as part of the Dutch double sculls at the 2012 London Games. It is the third Rio Olympic medal for Virginia, after rising senior swimming Leah Smith won gold in the women’s 4×200-meter free relay on Wednesday and earned bronze in the 400m freestyle on Sunday.
Virginia women’s rowing has now produced five Olympic medals. Lindsey Shoop won gold with the U.S. eight in 2008, Marlies Smulders earned a silver in 2008 and a bronze in 2004 with the Dutch eight, and Melanie Kok of Canada earned bronze in 2008 in the lightweight double sculls.
In other finals action, former UVA softball and volleyball player Meghan O’Leary (’08) finished sixth in the double sculls with U.S. teammate Ellen Tomek. It was O’Leary’s first appearance at the Olympics.
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Chris Graham
