Molesey Boat Club star Greg Searle couldn't make his dream come true as the Team GB men's eight claimed bronze at Eton Dorney.


It meant the 40-year-old's comeback dream of winning a gold medal 20 years after he siezed that ultimate prize at the Barcelona Games was just out of reach.


But it was far from failure as the Team GB crew - which also featured Searle's fellow Molesey men James Foad and Moe Sbihi in the engine room - pressed favourites Germany all the way to the line.


"My dream did not come completely true," he said, "but it's been fantastic the whole time, the years leading up to the Olympics.
 

"I thought it could be it.  I had an amazing rush of adrenaline and I thought it really could come true.
 

"We raced hard from the start and the crowd was so loud but I could focus on rowing."
 

The Brits disputed the lead for much of the first half of the race until Germany, finding another gear, began to pull clear.

Team GB went flat out to try to catch up, but were themselves just caught for the silver medal in the last 50 metres by fast-finishing Canada.


Germany clocked 5 minutes 48.75 with Canada on 5:49.98, a whisker in front of Searle and Co on 5:51.48
 

The crew's all out approach was summed up by one comment  after the medals were presented.

Sbihi said: "We wanted to win, we took a risk. That's why we got bronze and not silver."