ANNA Watkins and Katherine Grainger are the Olympic double sculls champions.

Watkins, from Wokingham, and partner Grainger have now won 23 consecutive races and are unbeaten in two years.

Finally Grainger can banish the memories of three successive Olympic silver medals and savour the moment she won gold at her home lake in Eton Dorney.

The pair finished with clear water between them and the Australians in an extraordinary finish.

Grainger said: "It was worth the wait. Steve Redgrave promised me there would be tears of joy this time and they are. For both of us we knew we had the goods to perform and it was about delivering."

Watkins added: "I can't believe it. I've tried to keep my mind away from this moment. It was just another race but it was the right one."

The 29-year-old won bronze in the double sculls in Beijing four years ago after struggling with glandular fever, before teaming up with Grainger to win gold at the past two World Championships. Now she has an Olympic gold to add to the collection.

Meanwhile Reading's Will Satch won an unlikely bronze medal in the men's pair final at Eton Dorney.

Satch, at just 22, finished third with partner George Nash in a time of 6 minutes 21.77.

Satch said: "It feels really good. I can't really believe it. Six months ago I didn't even think I would be coming here as a spare, I don't know about George. We tried to keep it simple, raw and basic."

Earlier, Reading University Boat Club member Charles Cousins finished fifth in the men's quadruple sculls final.

The quad had already made history by being the first British quad to make an Olympic final.

Germany won gold ahead of Croatia and Australia but the GB crew were in the bronze medal position after 500m and doing well but were unable to keep up with the relentless pace of the Germans.