One step closer to deciding the rowers for the Youth Olympic Games

More than 60 athletes from 14 African nations took part in the event which was hosted as a part of the multi-sport event, the African Youth Games.

It was a full weekend of racing beginning with the standard 2000m races in the junior men’s and women’s single sculls and pairs. Athletes progressed from heats, repechages and semifinals into the finals which took place on Saturday morning. This was followed by a 500m sprint event in which athletes also followed a progression system with heats, repechages and finals being raced on Sunday morning. The extravaganza finished Sunday afternoon with the traditional YOG mixed sprint relays.

This was the last continental qualification event for the Youth Olympics Games, which will take place from 6 to 18 October, 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Qualification spots were allocated to the top three men’s and women’s single sculls and the top men’s and women’s pair. However, each nation was only allowed to qualify one boat of each gender.

The junior men’s single sculls saw a competitive race between Zimbabwe and Tunisia, with Zimbabwean sculler, Kenneth Raynor, taking the top spot. Egypt claimed the third place and the last YOG qualification spot. The junior women’s single sculls was won by Rahma Ami Sebbouhi from Algeria. She managed to fend off a tough fight from the Zimbabwean sculler. Tunisia took the third spot.

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In the men’s and women’s pairs crews had to finish first in order to earn their ticket to Buenos Aires. Egypt’s pair won with a handy lead over Tunisia and Algeria. Egypt then had the difficult decision of whether to send their pair or their men’s single sculls. The national federation selected the pair, meaning that fourth place Algeria earned a qualification spot in the men’s single sculls.

The women’s pair title went to Algeria who lead from start to finish ahead of Egypt and Zimbabwe. Algeria faced the same decision between the women’s pair and the women’s single sculls. The national federation also selected the women’s pair, meaning that the Egyptian women’s single sculls earned the YOG qualification spot.

With the continental qualifications wrapped up, the final spots for the Youth Olympic Games have been allocated and 50 nations will be taking part in Buenos Aires.

For the full results from the African YOG qualification, please click here. 

For more information about the YOG, please click here.