Latin America scores Olympic rowing spots

There are 17 more boats on their way to the Beijing Olympics following the completion of the Latin American Qualification Regatta last weekend. Returning to the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon rowing course in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the often unpredictable lagoon turned on good water conditions for the four days of racing.

In the women’s single five spots were available. Chile’s Soraya Jadue Arriaza took line honours just a fraction ahead of Fabiana Beltrame of Brazil. This will be Jadue’s third Olympic Games. She finished 11th in this event at Athens.

It was heartbreak for Analicia Ramirez of Mexico who missed out on qualifying by less than a quarter of a second to Camila Vargas Palomo of El Salvador. Also qualifying was Maira Gonzalez Borroto of Cuba and Argentina’s Gabriela Best.

The men’s single had six places available. The goal for the 20 athletes competing became to make the A Final. Anderson Nocetti of Brazil made it in the fastest time, two seconds ahead of Patrick Loliger Salas of Mexico. Nocetti has raced in various boats at six World Rowing Championships and also been to two Olympic Games in the single. At 22 years old this will be Loliger’s first Olympic Games.

Chile’s Oscar Vasquez Ochoa qualified from third with D. Hernandez Echezuria of Venezuela in fourth and Leandro Salvagno Rattaro qualifying for Uruguay. The final spot went to Colombia’s Rodrigo Ideus Forero. Idues Forero, 20, is the first Colombian rower ever to qualify for the Olympics and normally competes as a lightweight.

The three qualifiers from the lightweight women’s double were led home by Cuba – Ismaray Marrero Aria and Uaima Velazquez. Ismaray won the first Rowing World Cup this year in the lightweight single before changing to focus on the double. It will be her second Olympic Games while Velazquez, 20, will be going to her first Olympics. Mexico and Brazil also qualified.

Very tight racing in the lightweight men’s double showed the competitive spirit of this event. Less than two seconds separated the top four boats and only three qualified. Former World Champion in the pair, Miguel Cerda Silva of Chile, was half of the unlucky fourth.

Eyder Batista Vargas and Yunior Perez Aguilera of Cuba led the way home for the men in the lightweight double. Thiago Gomes and Thiago Almeida of Brazil finished second with Rodolfo Collazo Tourn and Angel Javier Garcia of Uruguay taking the final spot.

FISA’s Competitive Commission member, Curtis Jordan was in Rio for the regatta and commented, “To see the excitement of these athletes and coaches at winning a place in the Olympics made the trip for me. Pure unadulterated joy! Truly the Olympic spirit; no cautious or jaded emotions.”

The 18 countries competing included two new nations to the competition; Jamaica and Nicaragua. Nine nations won medals and Brazil, with four medals, topped the tally. Cuba, scoring two golds, finished as top nation overall.

This will be the first Olympic participation in rowing for crews from Colombia, El Salvador and Venezuela.

Beijing Olympic qualifiers from Latin America:

W1x (1st to 5th place)
CHI, BRA, CUB, ARG, ESA

M1x (1st to 6th place)
BRA, MEX, CHI, VEN,URU, COL

LW2x (1st to 3rd place)
CUB, MEX, BRA

LM2x (1st to 3rd place)
CUB, BRA, URU