SA's fabulous four has become two

James Thompson and John Smith won South Africa's first-ever World Rowing Championship gold medal in Holland at the weekend. But their success means the end of the men's lightweight fours crew that won Olympic gold at London 2012.

With the other two members, Matthew Brittain and Lawrence Ndlovu, struggling with injury, national coach Roger Barrow experimented by putting Thompson and Smith into the lightweight double sculls - and it paid off big time on Saturday.

Thompson and Smith stormed through from fifth place after 500m to clinch victory at the death by nine-hundredths of a second.

"I think this spells the end of the Olympic lightweight fours crew," Barrow admitted.

"The lightweight doubles sculls will now be the main boat. I will try to develop another lightweight fours boat."

Earlier, veteran Shaun Keeling and Vincent Breet took bronze in the men's coxless pairs, clocking a time that was just two seconds slower than the best posted by SA's legendary team of Don Cech and Ramon Di Clemente, who claimed bronze at the 2004 Olympics.