Junior Men's Pair (JM2-) - Final

Germany’s Olaf Roggensack and Rene Schmela recorded a very fast time when they won their semifinal yesterday. They came into this race as the favourites. Last year the duo took gold in the junior men’s four. At the start Roggensack and Schmela used a tremendous 45 stroke rate to take the lead over Romania’s Constantin-Crist Hirgau and Alexandru Chioseau who also won their semifinal yesterday.

Roggensack and Schmela then settled to a high 37 stroke rate with Romania at 38 and the Czech Republic’s Vojtech Skalak and Jan Potucek also at 38. Romania was then able to close the lead that Germany had built up. This race was turning into a full 2000m sprint for these two boats. Roggensack and Schmela were now at 36 and holding off Romania at 37. The final sprint was coming into view and Romania remained in striking distance to take the lead. Then Denmark’s Jens Graudal and Jakob Lillelund upped their rating and began to put Romania under threat. But that was not the only threat. Greece’s Georgios Papasakelariou and Konstantinos Mantzios were storming towards the finish line. As Germany and Romania took first and second with nothing between it, Greece and Denmark did the same for the bronze medal.

Roggensack and Schmela had won by just 0.25 of a second, while Papasakelariou and Mantzios were bronze medallists by just 0.37 of a second. What a race!

Results: GER, ROU, GRE, DEN, RSA, CZE

Rene Schmela (s) – GER – gold 
“It’s a very nice feelling to win. It was such a cool race. Romania were very fast in the last 500metres. The conditions are ok.”

Alexandru Chioseaua (s) – ROU – silver 
“The battle against Germany was very hard. It was a superb race and actually the hardest race of my life. We are very happy with silver.”

Konstantinos Mantzios (s) – GRE – bronze 
“We are glad to have a medal. It’s a reward for all the training and work we have been doing this year. It’s a fantastic experience to race here in Rio.”

B-final

France only just missed out on making the A-final when they finished fourth in the semifinal yesterday. Today Esteban Catoul and Louis Maupin got out quickly at the start and remained there despite challenges from Great Britain throughout the race. Coming into the finish France rated 37 to cross first. Great Britain, using shorter strokes and a 41 stroke rate pace, remained in second.

Results: FRA, GBR, CHI, USA, ITA, CHN