Nase represents U.S. in Rio
La Salle grad finished fourth in men’s coxless lightweight four event
RIO DE JANEIRO >> Not every Olympian started their sport when they could walk or have the super rare athletic ability of Kevin Durant or Usain Bolt.
For LaSalle College High School and Princeton’s Tyler Nase, it was hard work and determination starting at 16 years old that led to Nase competing with the U.S. Rowing team at the 2016 Rio games.
Nase, along with teammates Robin Prendes, Anthony Fahden and Edward King finished fourth in the B final of the men’s coxless lightweight four event, in a time of 6:36.93 on Aug. 11.
Unlike sports like basketball or baseball, it wasn’t as easy for Nase as showing up for high school tryout.
Bodies of water for practice don’t grow on trees like the hardwood that lines sweaty gyms in elementary and middle schools where someone such as Durant built his legacy.
When he started out at LaSalle under coach Christopher Doyle, who would not comment for this story, he was on a level playing field with everyone.
“I dont think it was a very hard challenge,” Nase said of getting into the sport. “What I really enjoyed about rowing was starting out, no one had exposure to the sport. There weren’t any naturals. I soon realized that there was a direct correlation between the amount of work I put in and the results that I got out.”
There were elements to the sport other than just learning a certain set of skills or having the natural ability.
It was a physically draining sport from the beginning.
“In the beginning I think I had to learn to be tough,” Nase said. “Row-
ing is a very painful sport. Our races are six minutes long and you start to feel pain within the first 40 seconds. It was really important to understand how to move the boat.”
Nase is the “stroke” or rower at the stern of the boat, so he has to be able to control the boat and set the rhythm for everyone else.
“Rowing is difficult because sometimes if you work too hard you actually slow the boat down,” Nase said “You have to pay special attention to how efficient you are with your rowing stroke.”
While in high school, he started rowing for the US Junior Rowing team and rowed at the World Championships.
That was his first experience with international competition, and he paid attention
to the Olympics that summer and got a good idea of how difficult the competition was.
He graduated from Princeton in 2013 and really started to develop in the sport at the highest level.
He won silver in the 2013 World Rowing Cup III in the lightweight pair and made the U.S. Rowing senior team in 2014.
His team was third in the 2016 World Rowing Cup I lightweight four prior to the Rio games.
Nase’s experience in Rio was a new one for the 25-yearold that he got to share with his family.
“Competing in Rio was amazing,” Nase said. “I feel honored to have been apart of the US Olympic Team. It was so inspirational to watch other US athletes. It was also really cool having my family in Rio watching me. Throughout my rowing career my family has always been a big motivator. I want
them to be proud of me. So it was really cool to have them in Rio watching me.”
The fourth-place finish wasn’t what he and his teammates wanted.
The race was won by Great Britain in 6:31.54, followed by China and Germany.
Germany bettered the US team by just over a second for the bronze medal, something that will serve as motivation for Nase and his teammates.
“The Olympics has been an extremely humbling experience,” Nase said. “We did not perform as well as I anticipated. I will only use this experience to work that much harder. Before the Olympics I didn’t truly understand what it means to be an Olympian. After having been here, competed, and watched the games i have a better understanding. The bar has been raised and I want to meet the challenge. I am excited for these next four years leading up to (the 2020 games) in Tokyo.”