Rower makes history by winning Olympic medals in men's and women's events thanks to one special rule

As the world is captivated by the Paris Olympics, athletes are shattering records and making history. One such Olympian is British rower Henry Fieldman, who has garnered attention for a truly unique achievement. Representing Team GB, Fieldman became the first athlete to win medals in both men's and women's events, according to the Mirror. His historic win was made possible by a unique rule in Olympic rowing.

Three years ago, Fieldman was part of Team GB's men's eight at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where he earned a bronze medal. This year, he secured another bronze, but this time in the women's eight, making him the only athlete to have medaled in both men's and women's events. How is this possible? The 36-year-old Fieldman holds a distinctive role as the "coxswain" in his rowing teams—a position that sits at the stern of the boat, facing the rowers. According to the National Collegiate Athletics Association, the coxswain serves as the communication link between the rowers, coaches, and officials.

Coxswains are responsible for communicating race rules, safety protocols, start times, and other vital information to the rowers. Also, in case of a penalty, they act as their team's representative to acknowledge the same to the officials. Apart from these, they are a crucial part of the race as they steer the boat on a safe path and also assist their team with race strategies. In 2017, the Olympic committee allowed coxswain to compete in the games alongside rowers of the opposite gender too. This is how Fieldman was able to row with the women's team this year and grab a second bronze. "I hope that now that we've had two Olympic medals in the women's eight this could be the start of more women's eight medals to come - stepping on to greater things," he told reporters. 

In another heartwarming moment at the Paris 2024 Olympics, a woman decided to bring smiles to the faces of athletes who didn't win. Hannah Hall—known as @hannahisinthehalls on TikTok—was moved when she saw dejected table tennis players leaving the arena with downcast expressions. Hall and her family, who were watching the events live, decided to uplift their spirits.

"We were so sad we tried to cheer all of them on. My sister and I saw how sad the ones who hadn't been clapped for looked, so after the first four games, we started cheering especially loud. We stood up when they walked by and even got my brothers, husband and brother-in-law to join in!" she mentioned in her video. Their attempts bore fruit and the players who were walking out nodded at Hall and her family with grateful smiles. Hall pointed out how the Olympics wasn't just about the medal winners but also about sportsmanship. So she and her family gave the athletes who lost in the events the recognition they deserved.