Under-23 Lightweight Women’s Single Sculls (BLW1x) – Final

The gutsy Kenia Lechuga Alanis of Mexico jumped out quickly at the start. Lechuga made fame by beating the eventual Olympic Champion, Kim Brennan in the heats at the Rio Olympic Games. Then the star of this regatta, Marieke Keijser pushed into the lead. Keijser became the women’s single sculls junior World Champion last year and the Dutch know that she is good. Once in the lead Keijser kept long and fluid with South Africa’s Nicole van Wyk now taking on Lechuga.

Coming into the third 500 van Wyk got her nose in front of Lechuga as Keijser continued to push further and further away from her competition. What a display of domination! In the close of the race an exhausted Lechuga gave it her all to hold off a huge push by Sweden. Annie Svensson of Sweden ran out of water. Lechuga held on to bronze.

Results: NED, RSA, MEX, SWE, AUT, CAN

Marieke Keijser, Gold, The Netherlands
“I was behind at the start but that didn’t worry me, because I do that more often. In my finals I usually try to focus on the second part. There was a lot of pressure from the outside, but the biggest pressure I put on myself.”  

Nicole Van Wyk, Silver, South Africa
“I really made sure I got up and kept moving every stroke. The wind was hard to fight in the single, but I just kept believing and had practiced often being down.”

Kenia Lechuga Alanis, Bronze, Mexico
“I’m super happy, this is incredible! I’m a bit sad that this is my last Under 23, I really wanted to win, but I will fight in the seniors. It was my 7th race in the last two weeks since Rio and now I’m just going to sleep (laughing).”