Matthew Long and James Tomkins AUS in action during the Men’s Coxless Pair (2-) Rowing Semi Final at the Sydney International Regatta Centre on Day Six of Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. Sydney, Australia, 21 September 2000.

Matthew Long and James Tomkins AUS celebrate bronze in the Men’s Coxless Pair (2-) Rowing at the Sydney International Regatta Centre on Day Eight of Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. Sydney, Australia, 23 September 2000.

By winning a gold medal in rowing (coxless four) at the Sydney Games, Great Britain’s Steven Redgrave joined the very small group of athletes who have won a gold medal at five successive editions of the Olympic Games. Indeed, before his win in Sydney, Redgrave had already won gold medals at the Los Angeles 1984 (coxed four), Seoul 1988 (coxless pair), Barcelona 1992 (coxless pair) and Atlanta 1996 (coxless pair) Games. ©Getty Nick Wilson

1992: Steven Redgrave (right) and Mathew Pinsent (left) of Great Britain signal victory in the Coxless Pairs rowing event at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain. \ Mandatory Credit: Simon Bruty/Allsport

25 Jul 1996: Steven Redgrave and Matthew Pinsent of Great Britain row to victory in the semifinal round of the men''s coxless pairs rowing at Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Georgia at the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia.

21 Jul 1996: Matthew Pinsent, left, and Steven Redgrave of Great Britain pull to the finish to win their heat of the Men''s Coxless Pairs on Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Georgia. Mandatory Credit: Ross Kinnaird /Allsport