DUAL Olympic champion Pete Reed had to settle for a bronze medal at the European Rowing Championships in Belgrade in his new boat, the Men's Eight.

But Alex Gregory, from Wormington, north of Cheltenham, who won gold alongside Reed in the Coxless Four at London 2012, again finished on top of the podium.

Gregory is now a National, European, World and Olympic Champion, having won the Men’s Four at the weekend.

Reed, the former Cirencester Deer Park pupil from Nailsworth, and Matt Gotrel from Chipping Campden’s, were part of the a new GB Men’s Eight which lined up for the final race of the championships in Serbia.

Olympic champions Germany were out front in the early stages but were being strongly pushed by Russia. Great Britain and Poland were vying for third.

The British boat made a big push and moved into the bronze medal position with 500m to go. Poland, however, put in a superb late surge but it wasn’t quite enough to catch GB who took third place in a photo finish. Germany took gold and silver went to Russia.

Gregory and his team-mates Andy Triggs Hodge, Mohamed Sbihi and George Nash, put in a blistering performance on Sunday afternoon.

The crew were comfortable winners over Greece and Italy in a time of 5.46.86, which lowered the European record they had set in Friday's heats.