Seventh in the single golden at Asian Oceania Olympic qualification regatta

The A-finals had six boats lined up all already qualified for Rio. This meant that the real focus was on the B-finals and that vital first place that would give the crew the seventh spot – the remaining Olympic qualification spot.

For the lightweight men’s and women’s double sculls, however, a top three position was needed for Olympic qualification. This brought the heat and intensity back onto the A-final.

Then there was the qualification twist – a country can only qualify one male and one female crew through this regatta.   So, where a country qualifies both a men’s single and a lightweight men’s double sculls, it has two weeks to decide which boat to keep.   If it gives away, say, the men’s single, that place is then offered to the next place-getter.

This means that the qualification places for Asia and Oceania will not be confirmed for at least two weeks after this regatta.

Men’s Single Sculls (M1x)
A-final The early leader was Saensuk of Thailand but there was really nothing in it across the field until around the 1300m mark when the pace started to get to Kazarkhstan. In the sprint to the finish, a win to Kim of Korea followed by India, Indonesia and Thailand but all four boats within a boat length. 
Olympic Qualifiers: KOR IND INA THA KAZ IRQ 
* Please note that Iraq withdrew from the A-final on medical grounds but qualified as ranking last in the A-final (6th overall) in accordance with Rule 69(4).

B-final The battle for the sought after first place was intense and it was between Kholmurzaev of Uzbekhistan and Law of Hong Kong.   Kholmurzaev led all the way but with Law never more than a boat length behind.  
Olympic qualifier: UZB

C-final The battle of the Oceania scullers from Vanuatu and Samoa.  Teilemb of Vanuatu led from start to finish with clear water over Ilas of the Philippines and Marquardt of Samoa.
Results: VAN PHI SAM

Women’s Single Sculls (W1x)
A-final Another popular host country win to Korea who took the lead at the 1000m mark and made it clear water by the finish. The following crews were all in the hunt up to the sprint to the finish with Javar of Iran pipping Huang of Chinese Taipei by a canvas.  

Olympic Qualifiers: KOR IRI TPE VIE KAZ INA 

B -final  Saiyidah Aisyah of Singapore took the lead from the start and never relinquished it.  She had a boat length lead over Qatar and Thailand by the 1500m and held it to be the first rower ever from Singapore to qualify for the Olympics
Olympic Qualifier: SIN

Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls (LM2x)
A-final Nakano and Omoto of Japan were the early leaders but only by a canvas from Sun and Wang from China at the 500m.   Those two crews separated themselves from the rest of the field with China taking the lead by the 1000m and holding it to the end.   The battle for the valuable third spot saw a separate race develop between the remaining crews.   Chiu and Tang of Hong Kong gradually extended their lead over the contenders.
Olympic Qualifiers: CHN JPN HKG

Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls (LW2x)
A-final Another tight race, again with a real battle emerging for the vital third place.  By the 1500m, Oishi and Tomita of Japan had establish a boat length lead over Pham Thi and Ta Thankh of Vietnam.   The race for second and third over  the final 500m was between Korea, Vietnam and Hong Kong with those three finishing in that order and with just 0.62 of a second separating them.   Heartbreak for the two Lee sisters in the Hong Kong double but with a possibility of qualifying in the event depending on the decision of Korea and Vietnam in the women’s single.
Olympic Qualifiers: JPN KOR VIE

Full results here

Copy thanks to Lee Spear