Chinese women’s rowers finish first amid sculls heats

China saw some instant dividends from its revamped approach toward winning medals in rowing. Coaches were imported, rowers trained long hours, and more cash was pumped into the program to make the Chinese athletes contenders on their home water.

Now, the Beijing Games might be the perfect spot for the country to win its first ever gold medal — and a few more.

Li Qin and Tian Liang won the double sculls heat in 7 minutes, 3.13 seconds and Zhang Xiuyun posted the best time of the single sculls event, winning in 7:38.16. Zhang — a silver medalist in the double sculls in the 2000 Atlanta Games — had the home crowd cheering her on at Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park.

But the race held a few burst bubbles for China. A diesel generator used to create the underwater bubbles that formed the finish line overheated, causing black smoke to billow out during the women’s pair heats. Racing was not delayed and the generator was not close enough to the fans or the water to cause concern.

Bike riders continued pedaling on the path in front of the blue generator — decorated with Olympic rings — and firefighters quickly brought the situation under control.

The bubbling finish line, however, was eliminated.

There were no major upsets on the first day of competition on a breezy, humid day. Most rowers went hard the first 1,000 meters, then adjusted their effort the next 1,000 based on their position. They needed to save their energy for later in the week when this all really counts.

Norway’s Olaf Tufte — who won gold in the men’s single sculls in Athens in 2004 — finished first in his heat in 7:20.20.

“It went like we planned,” said his coach, Tore Oevreboe. “He’s fit and healthy.”

The women’s single sculls might be the most loaded field of the entire sport — a field that boasts Ekaterina Karsten of Belarus, who won gold in the 1996 and 2000 games.

“We are really afraid of China and Italy,” Karsten said.

She’s not alone.

“I am really afraid of the Belarusian (Karsten),” said Italy’s Gabriella Bascelli, who won her heat.

America’s single sculler Michelle Guerette finished second in a four-boat single sculls heat, but her time of 7:49.14 would have been good enough to win two other heats. Guerette placed fifth in Athens as part of the quadruple sculls, but she’s since become the top U.S. women’s single sculler.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here

PrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email