Britain wins 1st gold in women's rowing pair

WINDSOR, England - Britain captured its first gold medal of the London Games when Helen Glover and Heather Stanning won the final of the women's pair at the Olympic rowing regatta on Wednesday.

Britain's Helen Glover and Heather Stanning celebrate winning the gold medal after their women's pair Final A at Eton Dorney during the London 2012 Olympic Games August 1, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

Under intense pressure, the hot favorites established a big lead early in the race and crossed the line in a time of 7 minutes, 27.13 seconds. Australia finished fast, closing to within a length of Britain to snatch the silver medal from world champion New Zealand, which edged the United States for bronze.

It's the first Olympic gold won by a women's British boat and could begin an unprecedented medal rush for the host nation at Dorney Lake across the four days of finals.

With Britain's two princes, William and Harry, watching on, Stanning leaned back into the lap of Glover and punched the air after they sealed the win. They then cupped their mouths in disbelief.

Glover, a former physical education teacher, and Stanning, a captain in the British army, are unbeaten in 2012 and set an Olympic-best time in the heats. They were never threatened in the final.

They were 3.42 seconds ahead after 1,000 meters, and more then five seconds ahead of New Zealand at the 1,500-meter marker.

As they raced along the packed the grandstands in the final 300 meters, they visibly tired but were too far ahead to be caught.

Britain has waited until the fifth day of the Olympics to celebrate its first gold after gold-medal favorites Mark Cavendish and Lizzie Armitstead (both cyclists) and the diving pair of Tom Daley and Peter Waterfield all failed to top the podium.