Former Island rower wins Olympic gold

FORMER Isle of Dogs boater Mark Hunter swept to Olympic gold in Beijing on Sunday.

Mark, 30, and teammate Zac Purchase, 22, became the first British rowers to take gold in the lightweight men's double sculls, ahead of rivals Greece and Denmark.

The East End-born athlete began his rowing career at the Poplar, Blackwall and District club, and trained for six years in a bid to skipper passenger and freight boats on the Thames.