RIO DE JANEIRO _ The U.S. women's eight was in third place halfway through the 2,000-meter Olympic final Saturday when coxswain Katelin Snyder shouted something that resonated with the rowers putting their legs and backs and shoulders into every stroke.
"This," Snyder said, loud enough for the Romanians to hear two lanes over, "is the U.S. women's team!"
It wasn't planned. It just came out. But her resolute words spoke to her teammates' pride and determination. She was reminding them of the dynasty the United States has built in women's eight. She was telling them it wasn't going to end now, not on this sunny day in Lagoa Stadium, not in these Olympic Games.
Snyder was saying: Girls, we are Team USA. We do not lose.
The Americans, infused with energy and reaching deep down into that place only elite rowers know, surged to the front over the next 100 meters, their oars flashing in perfect unison.
With some 800 meters left the race was over, but for the formality of crossing the finish line. The other five boats could have rowed with an extra oar, for all it mattered. None of them was going to overtake Team USA.
"When I saw the margin (1.72 seconds) at 1,500, I thought, 'That should be good,' " U.S. coach Tom Terhaar said.
The Americans crossed the finish line in 6 minutes, 1.49 seconds to win their third consecutive Olympic gold medal and extend to 11 their victory streak in world championship and Olympic finals.
Great Britain won the silver in 6:03.98 and Romania took bronze in 6:04.10.
"It's an indescribable feeling," Megan Musnicki said. "The entire way down you could feel all nine of us fighting. We knew it was going to be a tight race. We had a heat where we were pretty far out and we knew that this was not going to be the same way, so it was very important for us to listen to Katelin and do it as one."
Musnicki and Eleanor Logan were the only holdovers from the boat that won gold in London four years ago. The other rowers were first-time Olympians, having emerged from a pool of 28 in highly competitive tryouts to claim their seats.
Sports Illustrated dubbed them "The Unbeatables."
I think we were quite aware of the history that the Americans have made, and that's great," said Zoe Lee of Great Britain. "But at the start line they're nine girls just like us. In our heads nobody was unbeatable. We certainly didn't put them in the middle of the podium when we were sitting in the start."
Asked if she felt pressure to continue Team USA's unbeaten streak, Kerry Simmonds said, "I'm not going to lie, I did, but I just tried to keep remembering this is just another race, just treat it like that."
Canada went out hard and led the U.S. by 0.99 seconds at 500 meters and by 0.49 seconds at 1,000. The Netherlands was in second.
"No, I wouldn't say it was part of the plan," Terhaar said. "People are going to try to get up in front or they're going to save it for the end. So we kind of anticipated the ones who were throwing in their hat, like, 'This is all we've got.'
"We knew it could happen. But they're a very fit group so we knew the second half of the race they would be good."
Snyder, facing the rowers and giving verbal commands to control their stroke rate and speed, told them to trust their fitness and each other. Then she broke out her little "We're Team USA!" pep talk and the U.S. boat surged into the lead.
"I thought it was something we could draw power and pride and excitement from," she said. "And we did."
The Americans' success in women's eight is due to a number of factors: Terhaar's coaching, a large pool of talented athletes who arrive from excellent college programs and the example set by world and Olympic champions.
Roxana Cogianu of Romania said the rowers in her boat formed her country's entire pool for the women's eight. Eight seats, eight rowers.
"I think the USA has a broader base of selection," she said. "If we had at least one-half of what the U.S. has, we could have the same result."
"Oh, that's funny," Terhaar said. "I think that's hilarious. Whatever."
Whether or not the Americans have built-in advantages, it always boils down to hard work and sacrifice. You don't get to the top of the podium 11 consecutive years by cutting corners.
Winning races is the easy part.
"A couple of months ago we had an indoor practice," Logan said. "A group went before us and I remember looking at their faces when they were finishing their piece and just everyone was giving 200 percent. There was nothing left in their effort and it was written all over their faces.
"I said, 'Wow, what an amazing experience to be a part of this group where everyone is just giving everything they have.' To be able to not take for granted each moment, each practice, to keep getting better, is such an amazing experience."
