07 Dec 2011
China Dominates 10th Asian Rowing Championships
China took the LW4x ahead of Hong Kong and Vietnam
The 10th Asian Rowing Championships concluded yesterday at the Guangdong International Boating Center in southern China. A total of 14 Federations participated at the event: CHN, HKG, INA, IND, JPN, KAZ, KOR, MAS, PHI, PRK, SIN, THA, TPE and VIE.
China dominated the regatta taking gold medals in 16 of the 17 events. It was Vietnam however, participating for the first time, who pulled off the biggest surprise of the Championships by taking the remaining gold medal in the men’s lightweight single scull, silver in the lightweight women’s double scull and bronze in the lightweight women’s quad scull to place second in the overall medal table. Hong Kong were third with three silver medals, and nine countries shared the remaining medals.
Competition was particularly fierce in the men’s and women’s sculling events, previewing what is likely to be a very hotly contested Asian Olympic Qualification Regatta in Shanghai next April.
Women’s Single Scull
With almost flat conditions on the course, it was Chiang Chien Ju of Chinese Taipei who took the early lead in the women’s single scull final. At halfway Huo Ling of China had edged slightly ahead but Chiang continued to attack aggressively to finish only two seconds behind at the line. Pere Koroba of Indonesia was third. Huo’s time 7:55.70, Chiang 7:57.77 and Koroba 8:09.29. With China already qualified for Athens in this event, Chiang will be an athlete to watch at next year’s Qualification Regatta.
Women’s Lightweight Single Scull
The standard of the lightweight women was only very slightly behind that of their open-category counterparts. China’s Yu Hua led comfortably from the start to finish first in 7:55.91. Sixteen year-old Lee Ka Man from Hong Kong, fifth at the World Junior Championships earlier this year, placed second in 8:12.76. Liu Yu Hsin of Chinese Taipei was third in 8:17.01.
Men’s Single Scull
The men’s single scull event was won by Cui Yong Hui of China. Cui, who had won the Chinese National Championships just one week earlier, took a seven second lead in the first 500m and despite a strong challenge by Japan’s U.23 sculler Yoshimichi Nishimura in the later stages of the race was able to hold on to finish first in 7:06.61. Nishimura was second in 7:09.19 and Maeng Chol Ho of DPR Korea third in 7:15.59.
Men’s Lightweight Single Scull
As in the women’s events, the performance of the men’s lightweight scullers was close to that in the open event. Most notable was the performance of Vietnam’s Vu Dang Tuan. Vu, starting with an astonishing 1:39.20 in the first 500m, left his opponents trailing by over 4 seconds. He went on to double this lead by the halfway mark before settling down to win comfortably in a time of 7:10.68. China’s Xu Yu was second in 7:16.02 and Jose Rodrigoez of the Philippines third in 7:18.31. World U.23 bronze medalist Law Hiu Fung from Hong Kong could manage only 5th place.
Women’s Lightweight Double Scull
Vietnam pulled off another surprise in the women’s lightweight double scull when they beat Thailand’s Asian Games silver medalists Bussayamas Phaengkathak and Nikree Phuttharoksa into third place after a close fought battle. Tan Mei Yun and Zhou Wei Juan of China were first in 7:20.79. Vietnam’s Pham Thi Hien and Mai Thi Dung second in 7:27.77 and Thailand third in 7:33.70.
Men’s Lightweight Double Scull
The men’s lightweight double scull saw one of the biggest entries at the Championships with twelve Federations looking towards the Olympic qualification next year. Xu Yu and Zhu Zhi Fu of China won the event in 6:37.90, with DPR Korea second in 6:46.80 and Philippines third in 6:48.81. Fourth placed crew, Hong Kong, had won the silver medal in the men’s open double sculls final on the previous day – clearly indicating the intense competition in the Olympic lightweight category event.
Men’s Double Scull
A comfortable win for Zhang Peng and Zhou Qiang of China in 6:33.14. Second placed went to So Sau Wah and Lo Ting Wai of Hong Kong, 7th at the World Junior Championships in Athens, in 6:41.07. Thomas Shaji and H. Chandra of India were third in 6:42.65.
Women’s Double Scull
China placed first in 7:18.25. Japan second in 7:25.40 and DPR Korea third in 7:30.55.
Women’s Lightweight Quad Scull
China, World Champions in this event, won comfortably in 6:45.54. Hong Kong were second in 6:58.60 and Vietnam third in 7:01.08.
Men’s Coxless Pair
China’s Ma Wei Guo and Tian Qi Qiang were first in 6:51.35. The experienced Indian duo of Krishnan Jenil and Inderpal Singh second in 6:56.14 and Chinese Taipei third in 7:01.05.
Men’s Lightweight Coxless Four
China won the lightweight fours event in 6:17.90, but only after fighting past Indonesia who had taken an early lead. The Indonesian combination finished second in 6:22.85, with India third in 6:33.53.
Men’s Quad
China finished first in this event with a time of 6:08.47. Kazakhstan were second in 6:15.75 and Japan’s U.23 crew third in 6:21.79.
Men’s Lightweight Coxless Pair
China first in 6:54.36. Philippines second in 6:57.93 and India third in 7:00.67.
Men’s Coxless Four
China first in 6:15.44. Korea second in 6:22.20 and Chinese Taipei third in 6:35.50
Women’s Coxless Pair
China first in 7:43.70. Indonesia second in 7:56.81 and Chinese Taipei third in 8:05.61
Women’s Quad
China first in 6:54.62. Chinese Taipei second in 7:06.70 and Kazakhstan third in 7:13.37.
Men’s Eight
China first in 5:54.33. India second in 6:05.97 and Japan third in 6:14.23.
Asian rowing action moves to Hong Kong in November where the Asian Junior Championships will be held, and to Hanoi in Vietnam in December for the South East Asian Games.
By Chris Perry – FISA Development Consultant for Asia