Former Bay of Plenty rower Mahe Drysdale has joined the golden ranks after winning gold at the 2012 London Olympics.

Mahe captured the medal, which he was denied because of illness at Beijing four years ago.

Coxless pair Eric Murray and Hamish Bond smashed through their final winning a prize which has just been out of their grasp for four years.

The win comes just hours after double scullers Nathan Cohen and Joseph Sullivan won gold.

The defending world champions won the title after flying for the last half of the race to break the backs of their competitors at Eton Dorney.

The pair became New Zealand's seventh Olympic rowing gold medallists, and the country's first champions in the double scull.

Mahe's gold medal is New Zealand's 20th Olympic rowing medal, including nine golds, and the third at this regatta.

An emotional Drysdale collapsed on the pontoon as he was awarded his medal.

'I can't believe it,” said after the race.

In front of his friends and family, he had his nose fractionally in front of Synek at halfway, put in a strong third quarter and hung on to win in 6m 57.82s, 1.55s ahead of the Czech with Britain's Alan Campbell third.

Running:

Nick Willis has qualified for the semi-finals of the 100 metres after winning his heat the 2012 London Olympics.

Nick ran a time of 3:40.92, short of his personal best but enough to win a slow heat.

The semi-finals take place on Monday morning.

Sailing:

Mount Maunganui sailor Peter Burling and his partner Blair Tuke have reclaimed their grasp on the Olympic 49er second place standing.

In front of family and friends on the Nothe spectator course, the pair closed the gap on the leading Australian boat, and given themselves a fifteen point buffer on the third placed Finnish team, scoring a seventh, second and then winning the final race of the day.

Just four races remain for the men's 49er before the top ten competitors progress to the double point medal round.