2022 World Championships: Wednesday September 21 Day 4
Early Monday morning New Zealand time a special group of scullers will take to the water at the World Rowing Championships in the Czech Republic to salute one of that country’s greatest athletes.
New Zealand’s two-time Olympic champion Mahé Drysdale will be among the legends joining Ondrej Synek for his farewell row down his home course. Norway’s Olaf Tufte, another double Olympic Champion, will be there alongside the great Slovenian sculler Iztok Cop and Britain’s Alan Campbell.
Last night the quarterfinals of the men’s single showcased the current stars of the sport on day 4 of the championships. It was a field packed with European, World and Olympic champions. A field where relative newcomer Jordan Parry from New Zealand clearly signalled, he is now among the top athletes in the event. Parry lined up in the third quarterfinal on the best morning of the champs so far, with just a faint breeze and a mostly glassy surface down the racetrack. Parry produced one of those classic Kiwi races, building through the first 500m in fourth place to move into 2nd by the 750m. From there a steady gathering of speed and confidence to have a controlled 2 second lead at 1500m and then a commanding last 500 to win in 6.53.57.
To illustrate the company, he’s in for Friday’s semifinals, here’s how the other quarters finished:
QF1 – Winner, Melvin Twellaar (NED) 6:51:87
European champion 2022
2nd, Ollie Zeidler (GER) 6.57.79
European Champion 2021
QF2 – Winner, Graeme Thomas (GB) 6.58.56
2nd, Stefanos Ntouskos (GRE) 7.00.03
Olympic champion 2021
QF4 – Winner, Kjeti Borch (NOR) 6.53.14
Olympic silver medallist 2021
Matt Dunham and Chris Stockley have also elevated themselves into the top ranks after claiming third in their quarterfinal of the lightweight double. The competition in this field is fierce, the Kiwis up against the Ian Wright coached Swiss double which led all the way.
Dunham and Stockley had to scrap the entire way down the course, 4th at both the 1000m and 1500m marks. But the New Zealand boat has a pretty good kick in the final 250 and they finished less than a second behind the Belgians, who were just 2 seconds behind the Swiss.
There may only have been two Kiwi boats on show last night, but it was a good reminder just what’s possible at these champs and just how big a part the black boats play when you’re talking about legends of the sport.
Kiwis in action tonight (NZT)
Jackie Kiddle, semifinal 2 of the women’s lightweight single 7.50pm
Kerri Williams and Grace Prendergast, semifinal 2 of the women’s pair 8.30pm
Matt Macdonald and Tom Mackintosh, semifinal 1 of the men’s pair 8.40pm
Jackie Kiddle and Rachael Kennedy, semifinal 2 of the women’s lightweight double 9.15pm
Matt Dunham and Chris Stockley, semifinal 2 of the men’s lightweight double 9:35pm
Phoebe Spoors, Beth Ross, Davina Waddy and Catherine Layburn, semifinal 1 of the women’s four 9.45pm
Kate Haines, Hannah Osborne, Kirstyn Goodger and Stella Clayton-Greene, semifinal 1 of the women’s quad 10.25pm