Rowers finish with three medals
New Zealand finished a disappointing rowing world championships with two medals in their final two races in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, last night.
The double sculling combinations, John Storey and Chris Harris, and Brooke Donoghue and Olivia Loe, both defending world champions, took third and second places respectively to back up the silver of pair Grace Prendergast and Kerri Gowler 24 hours earlier.
The haul of three medals is New Zealand’s poorest at a world championships since 2003 and some hard thinking seems sure to lie ahead for Rowing New Zealand as they turn their thoughts to the 2020 Olympics.
Donoghue and Loe pushed hard in their final but made little impression on formidable Lithuanians Milda Valcuikaite and Ivea Adomaviciute, who won in 6m 44.150s. The New Zealanders, who lifted their stroke rating significantly after the halfway mark and were a solid second at the line, recorded 6m 46.285s.
Storey and Harris were chasing the pace from early on and it took a desperate late surge in the final 250m to get the New Zealanders ahead of Britain and into third.
The double scull crown went to French pair Hugo Boucheron and Mattieu Androdias in 6m 05.160s.
Switzerland took the silver and Harris and Storey looked to be heading for fourth before their late rally took them past the British into the bronze position in 6m 06.710s.
That followed the disappointment of single sculler Robbie Manson having his hopes of victory dashed.
Manson had won both his World Cup regattas leading up to the worlds and appeared one of the stronger chances to make up for last year’s fifth placing.
Instead he wasn’t in the contest, finishing fifth again as Norwegian Kjetil Borch dominated the race from the outside lane six, winning in 6m 38.310s. Manson clocked 6m 46.110s.