Rebecca Shorten gold medal

At the Paris Olympics, the Netherlands triumphed over the USA in the 4x400 meters mixed relay, with Femke Bol's impressive final sprint securing gold for her team. The USA, featuring Vernon Norwood, had set a world record in the preliminary round but finished with a silver medal time of 3:07.74. Meanwhile, Belfast rower Rebecca Shorten helped Team GB secure a silver medal in the women's four, narrowly missing gold to the Netherlands by just 0.18 seconds. Shorten, who was part of the team that finished fourth in Tokyo, expressed pride in their performance despite the close loss. Her achievement adds to a successful showing for Northern Irish athletes at the Games. First Minister Michelle O’Neill praised Shorten's dedication and talent, highlighting her journey back to rowing after a brief hiatus.