SA men win big at Olympic qualifying regatta

SA will field two rowing crews at the Tokyo Olympics after the men’s four powered to victory at the qualifying regatta in Lucerne on Sunday.

Hopes of getting a third boat to Japan crashed with veteran Kirsten McCann and Nicole van Wyk being eliminated in the semifinals of the lightweight women’s double sculls.

But the four of Rio 2016 silver medallist Lawrence Brittain‚ London 2012 gold medallist John Smith‚ Kyle Schoonbee and Sandro Torrente looked in brilliant form as they cruised to victory in 6min 6.11sec.

The four will stay on in Lucerne to compete at the second World Cup event next weekend‚ along with the new pair combination of Jake Green and Luc Daffarn.

Rowing is the only sport outside athletics and swimming to have won multiple Olympic medals for SA since readmission‚ with three podium finishes at the past four Games.

Apart from trying to increase the medal haul in Tokyo‚ Smith and Brittain will also bid to become the first SA rowers to win second Olympic medals.

The men’s four was in fine form throughout the weather-hit regatta in Lucerne‚ winning all three of their races.

The semifinals and finals were held on Sunday‚ within three hours of each other‚ because of bad weather.

The four were yellow-carded for being 10sec late in connecting to the start of the semifinal‚ which got under way at 9.25am‚ but they finished ahead of Austria by more than a second. At 11.50am they were back on the water‚ dealing with the Canadians‚ who had gone unbeaten in their heat and semifinal.