The men's eight competition was one of six events for male competitors in Rowing at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. It was held from 15 to 22 August. There were 9 boats from 9 nations, with each nation limited to a single boat in the event. The event was won by the United States, the nation's first victory in the men's eight since 1964 and 12th overall. The Netherlands took silver. Australia, the reigning silver medalist, finished with bronze this time.
The men's eight event was a rowing event conducted as part of the 1964 Summer Olympics programme. It was held from 12 to 15 October at the Toda Rowing Course. There were 14 boats from 14 nations, with each nation limited to a single boat in the event. The event was won by the United States, returning the top of the podium after losing their eight-Games winning streak with a fifth-place finish in 1960; it was the nation's 11th overall victory in the men's eight. The defending champions, the United Team of Germany, took silver; the Germans defeated the United States in the opening round but lost the rematch in the final after the Americans advanced through the repechage. Czechoslovakia repeated as bronze medalists.
The men's eight competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia took place at Lake Lanier. It was held from 21 to 27 July. There were 10 boats from 10 nations, with each nation limited to a single boat in the event. The event was won by the Netherlands, the nation's first victory in the men's eight and first medal of any color in the event since 1900. Germany took silver; it was the 9th time in the past 10 Games that a German team was on the podium, with the only exception being 1984 when no German boats competed. Russia earned bronze in its independent debut.
The men's coxed four event was part of the rowing programme at the 1920 Summer Olympics. The competition was held on 28 and 29 August 1920. It was the third appearance of the event, which had previously been held inaugural rowing competitions in 1900 as well as in 1912. Eight boats, each from a different nation, competed. The medals all went to nations that had not won a medal in the men's coxed four previously: Switzerland and the United States took gold and silver, respectively, in their debuts in the event; Norway took bronze.
The men's single sculls competition at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing was held between 9 and 16 August, at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park. There were 32 competitors from 32 nations. The event was won by Olaf Tufte of Norway, the fifth man to successfully defend an Olympic title in the event. The silver medal went to Ondřej Synek of the Czech Republic, the nation's first medal in the event. Mahé Drysdale of New Zealand earned bronze. Both Synek and Drysdale would go on to win medals in the event again in 2012 and 2016.
The men's eight event was part of the rowing programme at the 1924 Summer Olympics. The competition, the sixth appearance of the event, was held from 13 to 17 July 1924 on the river Seine. Ten teams, each from a different nation, competed. The event was won by the United States, the nation's second consecutive and fourth overall victory in the event. Canada took silver, its first medal in the men's eight since 1908. Italy, making its debut in the event, took bronze.
The men's eight competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London took place at Dorney Lake which, for the purposes of the Games venue, was officially termed Eton Dorney. It was held from 28 July to 1 August. There were 8 boats from 8 nations. The event was won by Germany, the nation's first victory as "Germany". The German team beat the defending champions Canada, who took silver. Great Britain also slipped one place from their 2008 silver, taking bronze this time.
The men's eight competition at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich took place from 27 August to 2 September at the Olympic Reggatta Course in Oberschleißheim. There were 15 boats from 15 nations, with each nation limited to a single boat in the event. The event was won by New Zealand, the nation's first medal in the men's eight. Silver went to the United States. East Germany also earned its first medal in the event, with bronze.
The men's eight competition at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia took place at the Sydney International Regatta Centre. It was held from 18 to 24 September. There were 9 boats from 9 nations, with each nation limited to a single boat in the event. The event was won by Great Britain, the nation's first victory in the men's eight since back-to-back victories in 1908 and 1912; the three total gold medals was second-most among nations behind the United States. Australia took silver, while Croatia's debut in the men's eight was good for bronze.
The men's eight competition at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles took place at the Long Beach Marine Stadium. It was held from 10 to 13 August. There were 8 boats from 8 nations, with each nation limited to a single boat in the event. The event was won by the United States, the nation's fourth consecutive and sixth overall victory; the Americans had won every time they competed. Silver went to Italy, that nation's second medal in the men's eight after a bronze in 1924. Canada repeated as bronze medalists, stretching their podium streak in the event to three Games.
The men's eight competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro took place at the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon. It was held from 8 to 13 August. There were 7 boats from 7 nations. The event was won by Great Britain, the nation's first victory in the men's eight since 2000 and fourth overall. Defending champions Germany finished with silver this time. The Netherlands earned bronze.
The men's eight rowing competition at the 1980 Summer Olympics took place at the Krylatskoye Rowing Canal in Moscow, Soviet Union. The event was held from 21 to 26 July. There were 9 boats from 9 nations, with each nation limited to a single boat in the event. The first two places were the same as in 1976, with East Germany successfully defending its title and Great Britain repeating as runner-up. The 1976 bronze medalist, New Zealand, was not competing; the Soviet Union took bronze in 1980.
The men's eight competition at the 1936 Summer Olympics took place at Grünau Regatta Course in Berlin, Germany. The event was held from 12 to 14 August, and was won by a United States crew from the University of Washington. This event is chronicled in The Boys in the Boat written by Daniel James Brown. There were 14 boats from 14 nations, with each nation limited to a single boat in the event. The victory was the fifth consecutive gold medal in the event for the United States and seventh overall; the Americans had won every time they competed. Italy repeated as silver medalists. Germany earned its first medal in the men's eight since 1912 with its bronze. Canada's three-Games podium streak ended.
The men's eight competition at the 1976 Summer Olympics, also referred to as men's coxed eight (M8+), took place at the rowing basin on Notre Dame Island in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was held from 18 to 25 July and was won by the team from East Germany. It was East Germany's first victory in the event, improving on a bronze medal in 1972. The defending champions, New Zealand, switched places with the East Germans, taking bronze in 1972. Between them was Great Britain, taking its first men's eight medal since 1948. There were 11 boats from 11 nations, with each nation limited to a single boat in the event.
The men's eight (M8+) competition at the 1984 Summer Olympics took place at Lake Casitas in Ventura County, California, United States. It was held from 31 July to 5 August. There were 7 boats from 7 nations, with each nation limited to a single boat in the event. New Zealand had won the last two world championships, and the other strong team, East Germany, was absent from the event due to the Eastern Bloc boycott. This made New Zealand the strong favourite. But the final was won by Canada, with the USA and Australia the other medallists, and New Zealand coming a disappointing fourth.
The men's eight competition at the 1952 Summer Olympics took place at Meilahti, Finland. It was held from 20 to 23 July. There were 14 boats from 14 nations, with each nation limited to a single boat in the event. The event was won by the United States, the nation's seventh consecutive and ninth overall gold medal in the men's eight; the Americans had won every time they competed. The Soviet Union took silver in its Olympics debut; Australia's bronze was its first medal in the men's eight.
The men's eight competition at the 1956 Summer Olympics took place at Lake Wendouree near Ballarat, Australia. It was held from 23 to 27 November. There were 10 boats from 10 nations, with each nation limited to a single boat in the event. The event was won by the United States, the nation's eighth consecutive and 10th overall gold medal in the men's eight; the Americans had won every time they competed. Canada took silver, its first medal in the men's eight since 1932. Australia repeated as bronze medalists.
The men's eight competition at the 1960 Summer Olympics took place at took place at Lake Albano, Italy. It was held from 31 August to 3 September. There were 14 boats from 14 nations, with each nation limited to a single boat in the event. The event was won by the United Team of Germany in that combined team's debut; it was the first medal for any German team since the 1936 Games in Berlin and first-ever gold medal in the event for a German team. Canada repeated as silver medalists. Czechoslovakia won its first men's eight medal with a bronze. The United States, which had won the last eight times the event was held and all ten times the nation had appeared before, lost for the first time—finishing fifth, off the podium entirely, despite being heavily favoured once again.
The men's eight competition at the 1988 Summer Olympics took place at took place at Misari Regatta, South Korea. It was held from 20 to 25 September. There were 10 boats from 10 nations, with each nation limited to a single boat in the event. The event was won by West Germany, the nation's first victory in the men's eight since 1968. It was West Germany's second gold medal in the event, tying Great Britain and East Germany for second-most, behind the United States with 11. In a photo finish for second place, the Soviet Union took silver over the United States.
The men's eight competition at the 1992 Summer Olympics took place at took place at Lake of Banyoles, Spain. It was held from 28 July to 2 August. There were 14 boats from 14 nations, with each nation limited to a single boat in the event. The event was won by Canada, the nation's second victory to match Great Britain, East Germany, and West Germany for second-most among nations. Romania earned its first medal in the men's eight with silver. A reunited Germany took bronze; West Germany had been the defending champion.
