Day 5 at the London Olympics: Howard '05 takes home a silver medal

Malcolm Howard ’05 is back on the podium. After three undefeated seasons with Harvard and Olympic Gold with Canada in 2008, Howard and the Canadian men’s eight rowed to a silver medal in the morning of day five of the London Olympic Games at a packed Eton Dorney.

The filled to capacity stands were rocking for Great Britain, which spent most of the race in a dead heat with eventual champion Germany. But as Team GB began to fade, Howard and his experienced Canadian boat-mates roared back taking second and ending any lingering doubts that may have stemmed from their opening day last-place finish. Howard, who flirted with going solo at various points in the last four years, earned his second Olympic medal making him the most decorated male rower in Crimson history and tying him with Caryn Davies ’05, who will be racing in an A final of her own on Thursday, as the most decorated rower over all.

Later in the morning, Brodie Buckland ’06 and Australian teammate James Marburg placed third in the men’s pair semifinal, advancing them to Friday’s final where the New Zealand pair of Eric Murray and Hamish Bond will be favored, after once again smoking the competition by almost ten seconds. Buckland and Marburg figure to have an outside shot at a medal.

Earlier today, Temi Fagbenle ’15 played for Great Britain’s women’s basketball team as they took on Russia. The UK lost its third straight game, falling 67-61. Fagbenle scored six points with five rebounds and three blocked shots.

Tomorrow, make sure to watch Davies and boat-mate Esther Lofgren ’09 of Team USA as they try to defend their Olympic and World Championship titles in the women’s eight, while Henrik Rummel ’09 races for a spot in the final of the men’s four with his American boat and fellow American Will Newell ’11 competes in the B final of the men’s lightweight four.