Rio 2016 Olympics - Single scullers Mahe Drysdale and Emma Twigg both move into the semis after topping their quarterfinals, but both the men's and women's double sculls teams have been knocked out of medal contention.

Photo: AFP

Drysdale posted the second fastest time in the field after rowing the fastest overall in his heat.

He was in second place until the 1000m mark, behind his great rival Ondrej Synek, from the Czech Republic.

But 37-year old nudged ahead going into the final 500m, and finished nearly two boat lengths ahead of the Czech, with the two far out in front of the rest of the pack.

Photo: AFP

Emma Twigg also battled a Czech in women's single sculls, but pulled well in front after the 1000m mark and finished just over six seconds ahead with a time of 7.31.79

She will also row in the semifinal.

Twigg, competing in her third Olympic games, will now progress to the semifinal.

Photo: AFP

The men's pair of Hamish Bond and Eric Murray are through to the finals after posting the fastest overall time in their semifinals - a second and a half ahead of the Italians.

The pair, who won gold and set a world record in London in 2012, led from the start and were never really challenged, winning with a time of 6.23.26.

And the New Zealand men's lightweight four are also through to the final, coming in third behind the Italians, and the French.

The brutal reality of Olympic Games semi finals is starting to show. Very happy to have made it to the final. That's for support! E&H — KIWIPAIR-EricMurray (@kiwipair) August 9, 2016

NZ double sculls teams knocked out

The men's and women's double scullers were both knocked out of medal contention after coming in fourth in tight races.

In a nailbiter, Eve Macfarlane and Zoe Stevenson were edged out by five hundredths of a second.

Photo: AFP

It was an incredibly tight race with the top four neck and neck throughout, but the Americans just managed to squeeze the kiwis out to take third, and progress to the medals final.

It initially looked like the New Zealanders had just clinched the third spot, but the official timekeepers called it for the Americans, ending Macfarlane and Stevenson's shot at the podium.

And the men's double sculls team of Robbie Manson Chris Harris also came in fourth in their semi, ending their shot at a medal.

- RNZ