Cummins wins rowing gold in Beijing By Joel Willits

Anna Cummins made her final Olympics her best yet.

Anna Cummins made her final Olympics her best yet.

Cummins (formerly Mickelson), a Bellevue native, captured the gold medal in the women’s eight rowing event Sunday.

It was the first U.S. women’s gold in the eights since 1984.

Cummins, a University of Washington graduate, captured a silver medal four years ago in Athens.

It was a fitting end to Cummins career, 10 years after she first took up the sport as a UW freshman; the 28-year-old has already announced her intentions to retire home back to Bellevue from Princeton, N.J., and start a family.

The win was the women’s rowing teams only gold in Beijing.

Joel Willits can be reached at 425-453-5045 or at jwillits@reporternewspapers.com.