One Long Stroke Closer ? 2004 Olympic Qualification

Australia's quad qualifies in style – with gold
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Nations went to this years World Rowing Championships in Milan, Italy not only aiming to be the fastest in the world, but also to qualify their country for boat spots at the 2004 Olympic Games.

Thirty-four nations succeeded with Australia and Germany leading the count. They go on to Athens guaranteeing positions in 12 of the 14 events. This is an increase of one for both countries if compared to the same time four years ago. Great Britain, Italy and the United States were also at the top of the count. Great Britain raised their total to 10, an increase of three boats. Italy and the United States each earned places in nine of the Olympic events.

The biggest gain in number of spots went to Spain. In 1999 the country had no qualified boats for the 2000 Olympics. Last week Spain left Milan already guaranteeing four spots in Athens. The Netherlands however will be disappointed with their three spots. In 1999 the Dutch had already qualified seven boats for Sydney. Also unlucky were Bulgaria who qualified one boat, but finished an agonising one spot out in three other events. The slimmest qualifying margin went to France in the women's double. Caroline Delas and Gaelle Buniet missed out by three one hundredth's of a second.

Some athletes managed to help qualify boats in more than one event. Georgeta Craciun and Aurica Barascu of Romania qualified in the double and eight, while team mates Viorica Susanu and Georgeta Andrunache not only qualified but medalled in both the pair and eight. Jackie Cook and Karen Clark of Canada also helped their country to two qualifiers ? the pair and eight. Ekaterina Karsten of Belarus picked up medals in the quad and single, qualifying both boats in the process and teammate Yuliya Bichyk did the same in the pair and quad.

The necessity for an Olympic qualification system was implemented after the 1992 Olympics when the number of athletes was greater than Barcelona's capacity. So at the 1995 World Championships in Tampere, Finland, rowers got their first taste of a qualification regatta.

This years World Rowing Championships was the primary Olympic qualification regatta. There are a further limited number of chances in 2004. Continental qualification regattas will be held next year in Asia (Shanghai), Latin America (El Salvador) and Africa (Tunisia) with the final chance for the rest of the world planned for Lucerne, Switzerland in June 2004.

For a full table of 2004 Olympic Qualification by Event please see below:

Link

Olympic Qualification after World Championships 2003
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