First Youth Olympic Champions in rowing

Junior Women’s Single Sculls (JW1x)

Final A
Germany’s Judith Sievers, the reigning Junior World Champion in this event, was nowhere near the lead in the first half of the race. Lagging behind in fifth, only China’s Ting Cao was further behind. At the head of the field was Nataliia Kovalova from Ukraine, with France’s Noemie Kober following closely. Noemie Kober won a gold medal at the 2010 World Rowing Junior Championships in a different boat class, the Women’s Double Sculls, less than two weeks ago in the Czech Republic. Would Ukraine be able to keep the leading pace? Would France, who won all of her initial rounds, challenge Ukraine?

With 500m left to row, Germany was at the back of the field. It seemed the Junior World Champion would miss out on the podium. But no, Sievers had energy and determination in store, and a lot of it. In the last 250m, she made her move. Upping her stroke rate and charging up the ranks, she rowed through the field, overtaking her competitors one by one. Ukraine and France tried to respond, but Germany’s strong move was too much to counter. Germany crossed the finish in gold medal position, followed by Ukraine, then France. Half a second separated the three medallists at the line.

Their medals were presented by IOC member Sergei Bubka from Ukraine, six-time World Champion and World Record holder in pole vaulting.

Results: GER, UKR, FRA, LAT, NED, CHN

Judith Sievers (GER) – Gold
"It's so cool – I cannot express with words! I'm so proud it is history now to be the first Youth Olympic Champion [in rowing]. I expected it to be close but at 500m everybody was in front, so I thought it was time to increase the pace."

Noemie Kober (FRA) – Bronze
"Judith did a great comeback at the end. I'm happy with my race."

Final B

Cuba’s Ainee Hernandez Delgado and Kristyna Fleissnerova of the Czech Republic took an early lead. Both had won their heats on the first day of racing here at the Youth Olympic Games, but then both missed out on the A-final by just a fraction of a second in their respective Semifinals. By the half-way mark, however, Croatia’s Asja Zero had managed to overtake the Czech Republic and had begun to put pressure on Cuba. With 250m to go, Zero was holding on tight to Hernandez Delgado’s pace, not letting go. But Cuba was determined to cross the finish line first and rank 7th overall at these inaugural Youth Olympic Games. Fighting off Zero’s challenge, Hernandez Delgado crossed the finish line half a length ahead. The Czech Republic finished third.

Results: CUB, CRO, CZE, ESP, TUR, IRL

Ainee Hernandez Delgado (CUB) – Winner of Final B
"I feel good although I'm not happy with my result as I wanted to go to the A final. Yesterday I had a very hard semi. So I'll train more, continue working and aim for the Olympic Games!"
 

Junior Men’s Single Sculls (JM1x)

Final A

Germany’s Felix Bach is a two-time Junior World Champion in this boat class. He claimed his latest world title earlier this month. So far, he had won both his heat and semifinal here at the Youth Olympic Games. Would Germany win two gold medals in a row? Bach is known for his slow starts, so it was no surprise to see him behind Lithuania in the first several hundred metres. Lithuania’s Rolandas Mascinskas had also won his heat and semifinal here in Singapore. Would he be able to hold off the Junior World Champion?

By the half-way mark, Mascinskas was still leading with a two-second advantage over Bach who was followed by Romania’s Ioan Prundeanu in third. When would Bach make his move? With 250m left to row, the top three crews were charging to the line, and Bach was attempting to make his final sprint. But Lithuania had secured his lead early on, and it was a comfortable one: one boat length with the finish line coming up fast. Bach tried, but Mascinskas was too far ahead. Rolandas Mascinskas is the first Youth Olympic Champion in the men’s single sculls. Bach takes silver and Romania bronze.

Their medals were presented by FISA Vice President and IOC member Anita De Frantz.

Results: LTU, GER, ROU, CHN, BRA, UKR

Rolandas Mascinskas (LTU) – Gold
"I think it's good. It's really interesting, great, very good! Next year I'll be in the men’s double and I hope to be a World Champion."

Felix Bach (GER) – Silver
"I'm totally spent. I'm a little bit sad but not really because it was an amazing race, one of the best I've ever been in. It's such a great new experience and I'm proud to be part of it."

Ioan Prundeanu (ROU) – Bronze
"I'm exhausted but a bronze medal is just great."

Final B

As the men’s single scullers lined up at the start of the Marina Bay Reservoir rowing venue for their B-final, a tailwind began to rise. Hungary’s Mark Biro took the lead early on and New Zealand’s Hayden Cohen followed closely behind. Despite Cohen’s attempt to catch up with Biro throughout the race, Biro maintained the lead throughout, fighting off Cohen’s challenge. In the last 100m, New Zealand put on an even greater fight, coming nearly level with Hungary. But the photo finish was clear: Hungary crossed the finish line first, four hundredths of a second ahead of New Zealand.

Results: HUN, NZL, SUI, ALB, NED, SVK

Mark Biro (HUN) – Winner of Final B
"I'm not used to rough water and made lots of mistakes. I just pushed as much as I could because I really wanted this win."
 

Junior Women’s Pair (JW2-)

Final A

Italy and Australia had both won their semifinals yesterday and thereby earned the right to race in middle lanes three and four. Both crews had medalled not long ago at the 2010 World Rowing Junior Championships in the Czech Republic: Italy’s Elena Coletti and Giada Colombo had won silver in the Women’s Double, and Australia’s Emma Basher and Olympia Aldersey had won bronze in the Women’s Four. Would they be the crews to watch?

Lining up in lane six was Great Britain’s crew of Georgia Howard-Merrill and Fiona Gammond. Although they won their heat on the first day of racing at Marina Bay Reservoir, they went on to finish third in their semifinal. They may not have had the best of races yesterday, but today, despite their outer lane, the British crew were determined to be fast. With just one quarter of the race gone, they were already the fastest pair. Australia followed in second position and Greece in third. Would Great Britain be able to hold on?
With the finish line coming into view, Great Britain was still leading, while Australia and Greece, going neck and neck, were fighting for silver. Italy, meanwhile, launching a fantastic sprint, was having a try at bronze.

At the line, Great Britain had done it. Australia won silver by three hundredths of a second ahead of Greece in bronze.

Their medals were presented by FISA Council member and IOC member John Coates.

Results: GBR, AUS, GRE, ITA, ROU, HUN

Georgia Howard-Merrill (GBR) – Gold
I did not even know we won, we're shocked! We did not realise we would be that fast."

Olympia Aldersey (AUS) – Silver
"We were not sure about our position and thought we had bronze again. Silver is a surprise."

Emma Basher (AUS) – Silver
"We just raced it, we put out everything we had and are happy about our result."

Eleni Diamanti (GRE) – Bronze
"It was quite a change to switch from the women’s double to the women’s pair. We trained very much for this event and are really very happy with our result."

Final B

The wind died down for the B-final of the Junior Women’s Pair and the rain settled in for the remainder of racing time.  This race would be mostly about New Zealand and Belarus, with Russia putting on a late show. Taking an early lead, twin sisters from Belarus, Tanya and Nadzeya Misachenka, were followed closely by New Zealand’s Beatrix Heaphy-Hall and Eve MacFarlane. But New Zealand would not settle for second and decided to give Belarus a hard time. At the half-way mark, just ten hundredths of a second separated the top two crews, while the rest of the field trailed behind. With just 250m left, New Zealand began to sprint and Belarus had nothing left to fend them off. At just about the same time, another pair of twin sisters, Elizaveta and Anastasia Tikhanova of Russia, spotted the opportunity to challenge Belarus. New Zealand powered to the finish line a boat length ahead of their competitors, while Russia got level with Belarus and crossed the line in second just a fraction ahead of Belarus.

Results: NZL, RUS, BLR, BUL, IND, RSA

Beatrix Heaphy-Hall, bow (NZL) – Winner of Final B
"We've improved with every race, the margin was so close yesterday to make the A-final. Today we decided to take on the B-final."

Eve Macfarlane, stroke (NZL) – Winner of Final B
"It's a good way to finish the Youth Olympic Games."

 

Junior Men’s Pair (JM2-)

Final A

Racing in the Final of the Junior Men’s Pair was no funny game for the competitors, but it was yet another impressive show for the spectators. Three of the six crews just medalled at the 2010 World Rowing Junior Championships, and Greece is the reigning Junior World Champion in this event. The Greeks Michalis Nastopoulos and Apostolos Lampridis won their initial rounds in Singapore, but so have Australians Matthew Cochran and David Watts.

Greece took an early lead, but the field was very tight and remained so until the 500m mark where Australia had taken a slight lead over Greece, but insignificantly so, as not even one second separated the top five crews. The second half of the race would be crucial.

Suddenly, with just 250m left to row, Slovenia made a huge sprint, giving their all to move to the front of the field, overtaking Greece and Australia in the process. Greece could not respond. Slovenia’s Jure Grace and Grega Domanjko crossed the finish line in gold medal position half a boat length ahead of Greece, and Australia took bronze.
Their medals were presented by IOC member Ivan Dibos.

Results: SLO, GRE, AUS, GBR, SRB, TUR

Grega Domanjko (SLO) – Gold
"I feel great, and great pain for the moment as well, but this is our reward for all the hard work."

Apostolos Lampridis (GRE) – Silver
"I'm tired, even exhausted … it's difficult to row in the rain."

Matthew Cochran (AUS) – Bronze
"I'm stunned. The conditions were tough but what a great racing."

David Watts (AUS) – Bronze
"What a quick race, I'm really happy with our performance."

Final B

Bulgaria’s Teri Georgiev and Veselin Rusinov were determined to finish 7th overall in this race. Taking the lead early on, they secured it throughout the race, increasing their leading margin, and kept it until the line. The fight for second took place shortly before the finish. Croatia, who had been trying to keep up with Bulgaria from the start, began to lose ground, giving France the chance to sprint in the last 250m and overtake Croatia to finish just a fraction of a second ahead of Croatia. Bulgaria finishes 7th overall.

Results: BUL, FRA, CRO, ITA, IND, ESP

Veselin Rusinov, stroke (BUL) – Winner of Final B
"I feel great, although we expected to be in Final A and maybe win a medal."

Teri Georgiev, bow (BUL) – Winner of Final B
"We made only one mistake but it was a considerable one which prevented us from going to the A-final. Now, for the rest of our stay our plans are to have fun and make fun!"