On a bright Parisian Thursday morning, the waters of the Seine became a testament to human grit as the U.S. Men's Coxless Four Rowing team, including Pittsburgh's own Michael Grady, rowed their way to Olympic glory. As reported by CBS News, Team USA clinched the gold medal with a gripping finish, clocking a time of 5 minutes, 49 seconds, and 3 milliseconds, narrowly outpacing New Zealand, who came in close at 5 minutes, 49 seconds, and 88 milliseconds.
Grady, whose athletic tenure at Central Catholic shone early signs of a medal-bearer, has seen his steadfast dedication to rowing pay off on world's the grandest sporting stage. As per WTAE, this remarkable victory marks the first gold for the Men's Four Rowing Team since the 1960 Rome Olympics, ending a decades-long drought for the U.S. in this category. Despite the pressure, Grady, alongside teammates Nick Mead, Justin Best, and Liam Corrigan, stayed stroke for stroke against a fiercely competitive field.
This is not Grady's first Olympic foray, he's a seasoned athlete, having contended in the Tokyo Games, where he and his team finished fifth. His experience at an Ivy-League school like Cornell, where he propelled his team to notable positions at the EARC Sprints, has helped shape him into the oarsman who can now call himself an Olympic champion.
