In the late charge to the finish line the Italians almost got tangled with the Great Britain crew, who veered out of the lane.

They touched an oar in the Italian boat, which had been running second before the incident, dropping Italy to the bronze medal while Britain themselves fell to fourth.

Italy were left fuming, with Romania edging ahead to finish second behind gold medallists Australia.

"We cost them a silver. Sorry to those guys," British rower Matthew Rossiter said.

"We just let the concentration go and drifted across a bit. It's an outdoor sport, and this stuff happens, but it's heart-breaking when it's you."

Matteo Lodo of Italy was frustrated by the contact.

"The last 500 metres we were very fast. So Great Britain, very, very, very unfair today," Lodo said. "

"They hit Matteo (Castaldo's) blade. Everything was lost."

That wasn't Italy's only problem.

Castaldo said he was having breakfast with Bruno Rosetti when his teammate received a phone call that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and couldn't race.

He had to be replaced at the last minute.

Australian Associated Press