Australia's rowing team fails to qualify men's eight for Rio

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australia will head to the Olympic Games without a men's eight in the rowing event for the first time in 66 years after their failure to qualify for Rio at the final regatta in Switzerland. Australia needed a top-two finish in Lucerne but finished fourth behind the United States, Poland and Italy. The women's eight also failed to qualify, finishing third behind Romania and Netherlands. Only Rhys Grant in the men's single sculls was able to book his berth, meaning Australia will have eight boats and 20 rowers in Rio, compared with the 13 boats and 46 crew, who reaped three silver and two bronze medals, at London. (Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Peter Rutherford)