Temple University Athletics
Three Temple Alums Lead USA To Gold Medal in Men's Eight at Pan Am Games
10.19.11 | Men's Crew, Women's Rowing
Jason Read, Joe Spencer and Marcus McElhenney are golden in Mexico
GUADALAJARA, Mexico - Not one, but three Temple Owls won gold medals at the 2011 Pan American Games Wednesday morning as Jason Read ('03), Marcus McElhenney ('03) and Joe Spencer ('05) helped the United States Men's Eight with coxswain to victory.
The United States boat led the entire way, besting a strong Canadian Eight by nearly two seconds. Read, who won Olympic Gold in 2004 and is in his first year as the Temple women's rowing coach, rowed from the two-seat while Spencer, who earned his first major international medal, was in the four seat. McElhenney, who won a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics, served as the coxswain.
"We executed our race plan and had a very strong, explosive rhythm throughout the entire 2000-meter race in front of more than 10,000 cheering local," said Read. . "The Canadians, Argentinians and Mexicans put on massive sprints in the last 500 meters but we were able to counter their surges with a decisive attack in the last 100 meters."
Read also competed on the Men's Coxless Four placed fifth in the final on Monday.
