The Asian and Oceanian Olympic and Paralympic Qualification regatta concludes

The 2024 World Rowing Asian and Oceanian Olympic and Paralympic Qualification Regatta just concluded in Korea. With fourteen Olympic and three Paralympic spots up for grabs, there was some crisp, intense racing in Chungju.

In the men’s single sculls, with five boats qualifying to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, it was a race not to finish last – and what a race it was. The A-Final was won by Kazakhstan’s Vladislav Yakovlev, who will represent his country for the fourth time at the Olympics – quite a performance. Behind him, Indonesia’s Memo Memo grabbed the second place and qualified for his second Olympic Games, and in a sprint to the line,  Balrai Panwar from India finished just ahead of Hong Kong China’s Hin Chun Hiu and Uzbekistan’s Shakhboz Kholmurzaev, with Thailand’s Premanut Wattananusith coming in sixth.

The women’s single sculls A-Final was easily won by the reigning Olympic silver medallist, Anna Prakaten, now representing Uzbekistan, ahead of Japan’s Shiho Yonekawa and Iran’s Fatemeh Mojallaltopraghghale. Behind them, in order, came in Joanie Delgaco of the Philippines, Hue Pham Thi of Vietnam and Aisyah Mohamed Rafa’ee of Singapore.

The lightweight women’s double sculls was won by Japan, just two seconds ahead of Iran who had dominated the race until the final stages, allowing both crews to secure a spot for Paris.

The lightweight men’s double sculls was also dominated by Japan, this time ahead of Uzbekistan, who had a fantastic start and managed to held off a late charge from India.

For quota places obtained at the Asian and Oceanian Continental Qualification Regatta, the NOCs that did not qualify a boat at the 2023 World Rowing Championships in Belgrade, were able to qualify a maximum of two boats for the Games based on highest ranking. As Japan and Uzbekistan had two crews rank higher in the lightweight men’s and women’s double sculls, this allowed Thailand in the men’s single sculls and Singapore in the women’s single sculls to claim a spot in Paris.

Japan was the only NOC that qualified a boat in Belgrade – however, as per the qualification rules, because both Japan men’s and lightweight double sculls placed first, they will both qualify for the Olympic Games.

The final qualification spots are now to be confirmed by the respective NOCs, they have two weeks to confirm their quota. More information on the qualification can be found here.

The PR1 women’s single sculls was won by Sejeon Kim of Korea, qualifying for her second Paralympic Games on home waters. The PR1 men’s single sculls went to Temirkhan Daiyrbek of Kazakhstan, ahead of Takuya Mori of Japan – but Kazakhstan was later excluded from the race due to an issue with the mandatory trunk strap of the athlete. The Paralympic quota is then attributed to Japan.

In the new Paralympic boat class – the PR3 mixed double sculls, the quota place went to the Indian crew of Anita Anita and Narayana Konganapalle.

All these athletes will be in Paris this summer for the Paralympic Games, pending confirmation of their respective NPCs – see full document here.