Rowing at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Men's eight

This was the 23rd appearance of the event. Rowing had been on the programme in 1896 but was cancelled due to bad weather. The men's eight has been held every time that rowing has been contested, beginning in 1900.{{cite web |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/159611 |title=Eight, Men |work=Olympedia |access-date=9 June 2021}}

The United States had dominated the event for four decades from the 1920s to the 1950s, but had not won a gold medal at the Olympics since 1964, falling short as the favourites in 1988. The Americans were favoured again in 2000, having won the last three World Championships in 1997, 1998, and 1999. Reigning Olympic champions the Netherlands had not reached a podium since the 1996 Games. Germany was not present; German teams (including the United Team, East, and West) had taken medals at 9 of the past 10 Games.

Croatia made its debut in the event. The United States made its 20th appearance, most among nations to that point.

This rowing event consisted of nine teams, split into two four- or five-team heats. The course used the 2000 metres distance that became the Olympic standard in 1912 (with the exception of 1948).{{cite web |url=https://worldrowing.com/2017/05/01/why-race-2000m-the-history-behind-the-distance/ |title=Why Do We Race 2000m? The History Behind the Distance |publisher=World Rowing |date=1 May 2017 |access-date=19 April 2021}} Each team fielded a boat crewed by eight rowers and a coxswain. Each rower used a single oar, with four oars on each side of the boat. The winner of each heat qualified for the "Final A" (or medal) round. The remaining six teams competed in the repechage round, with the top four from that round qualifying for the "Final A" round. The last two teams in the repechage competed in the "Final B" round.

The final ranking for this event was based on the order of finish in the two finals. The top three of the "Final A" teams earned Olympic medals for placing first, second, and third, while the remaining "Final A" teams placed fourth through sixth, according to their "Final A" finish. The "Final B" competition determined the placement for the last three places (7–9) in the event's final ranking.{{cite sports-reference|title = Rowing at the 2000 Sydney Summer Games: Men's Coxed Eights|url = https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/2000/ROW/mens-coxed-eights.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200418025206/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/2000/ROW/mens-coxed-eights.html|url-status = dead|archive-date = 18 April 2020|access-date = 6 November 2012}}

All times are Australian Time (UTC+10)

The winner of each heat advanced to the A Final, the remainders went to the repechage.

The first two in each heat qualified for Final A, while the remainder went to Final B.

{{reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060622162855/http://www.la84foundation.org/5va/reports_frmst.htm Official Report of the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics]
• [http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/2000/Masters/ro/ROresults.pdf Rowing Results]

{{Olympic champions – Men's eight}}

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Category:Rowing at the 2000 Summer Olympics

Category:Men's events at the 2000 Summer Olympics