Golden memories: Olympia resident relives 1984 rowing glory

By Gail Wood | The Olympian • Published August 20, 2008

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OLYMPIA - This time, there'd be no gold medal dangling around Kris Norelius' neck.

This time, Norelius watched on television in her Olympia home, cheering as the United States women’s eight rowing crew won an Olympic gold medal Sunday in Beijing.

But Norelius could share in the celebration.

Norelius rowed on the last U.S. women’s eight crew team to win an Olympic gold medal, in 1984 in Los Angeles. After Sunday’s race, U.S. coxswain Mary Whipple e-mailed Norelius to tell her that the 1984 victory inspired this year’s team.

“It gave me chills to think that we really contributed to their success,” Norelius said Tuesday while sitting her in home on Ward Lake. “It helps gives me some perspective to our contribution to the sport.”

Before Sunday’s race, Whipple, a former University of Washington rower, and her teammates watched a video of the 1984 team coming from behind to defeat the favored Romanians in the final.

That 1984 team won the first Olympic gold for the U.S. women. It also was the United States’ last win in the event before Sunday.

Norelius’ perspective of that win has changed over the years.

“What we did was a great accomplishment,” Norelius said. “I’ve seen our race as a 3-minute block of time in 1984. But that had a ripple effect on people of future generations — the little sisters of rowing.”

On Sunday, the U.S. women led the entire race, beating second-place Netherlands by 1.88 seconds.

Norelius, also a product of the University of Washington, got out her U.S. Olympic jacket and gold medal on Tuesday. They’re her only ties to her historic day, which continues to influence her life.

“It’s given me more confidence,” Norelius said about winning a gold medal. “It’s given me a belief that when I come up against a tough situation, I can make it through it.”

The 1984 team stays in touch. Four years ago, all of the members had a 20-year reunion. Norelius and Shyril O’Steen were both undergoing cancer treatment at the time. This week, the two friends were planning to go hiking together in the Olympic mountains.