BEIJING - The United States stormed to victory in the women's Olympic eight on Sunday, finally getting the better of the dominant Romanians in a thrilling final.

The Romanians won the event in Athens and in Sydney but the U.S. had entered the regatta as double world champions and looked strong throughout the earlier rounds.

The U.S. victory denied Romania's Georgeta Andrunache her sixth Olympic gold medal and the title of the most prolific Olympic rower of all time. Romania finished third in a photo finish, behind the Netherlands who took silver.