Brennan pays tribute to late Sarah Tait

Kim Brennan's Olympic rowing gold medal victory was tinged with sadness that she couldn't share it with her former teammate the late Sarah Tait.

Brennan won the women's single scull in Rio, where Tait may have also been competing.

The London silver medallist died in March after a three year battle with cervical cancer.

Tait stopped rowing in 2014 to focus on fighting the disease and to spend more time with her two young children.

Two years older, Tait was a mentor and close friend of Brennan, who said heading into Rio that she had struggled to deal with Tait's death.

Brennan said after the race that Tait would be proud of her.

"She was so much more than a medal and so much more than a rower and I think this is incredibly special," Brennan said.

"I know she would be so proud of me but what she's given to people who met her is so much more than any medal could possibly be.

"Sarah was such an incredible human being, no race can do justice to how much she brought to the people around her."