By Melissa Bray

 

El Salvador’s Rowing President, Eduardo Palomo
© FISA

Watch out for more Central American faces at the World Championships next month. The El Salvador Rowing Team arrives in Banyoles, Spain, today to continue their preparation. This is the largest squad ever, and is part of the growth of rowing in Central America.

A team of 13 athletes will compete in the men’s lightweight eight and the women’s lightweight quad. El Salvador has competed at World Championships before but this is a first on many levels. It is the first time competing in these boat classes, the first time women have competed and the first time they have done this degree of training.

The crew is made up of a combination of soldiers and civilians. The soldiers are from the Special Brigade for Military Security (BESM) and most of them have been rowing for two years. Already one soldier, Fredy Sandoval, has shown his potential. He has received a grant to train towards the Olympic Games and will return to Spain in January 2003 as part of the path to qualification.

El Salvador’s Rowing Federation President, Eduardo Palomo, says the main goal of the season is the Central American and Caribbean Games. The crews will also want to impress at these Games as they are being held in El Salvador’s capital, San Salvador, at the end of November.

FISA Development Director, Thor Nilsen, will be working with the athletes in Banyoles. He says their chance of success at the World Championships is slim, but it will be an important step towards their local competition.

In Banyoles the team will get to train alongside some of the best rowers in the world including members of the Spanish, Canadian and Irish national teams. They will receive support from a number of top international coaches including Nilsen, Italy’s, Gianni Postiglione and Germany’s Frank Logall.

As part of FISA’s development programme, also training in Banolas will be Chile, Guatamela, Paraguay, Mexico, Egypt and possibly Argentina and Brazil.

Members of the El Salvador Rowing Team:
Saúl López (LM8+)
Leonidas Rivera
José Cisneros
Fredy Sandoval
José Melara
Nefatlaí Gutiérrez
Edwin García
Cristian Cortéz
Daniel Villacorta
Xiomara Sigüenza (LW4X)
Carolina Figueroa
Aída Turcios
Dinora Calderón
Coach: Hernán Leguizamon