(23 July 1996; Day 4)
Michael PETERSON and Jonathan HOLLAND are the perfect couple. Together only four months, the twosome has become strong front-runners in the men's coxless pairs in Atlanta and after advancing to the semifinals with their win in Tuesday's repechage, believe the "marriage" will last.
"We are still learning," said HOLLAND. "Everyone else here is plateau, they are as good as they are going to get. But everytime we row, it is one step closer to our ideal race."
After losing their heat in the preliminaries, the U.S. crew looked at it as a chance to take a step back and change what went wrong. "In the heat we planned to start off slow and gradually increase the pressure," said bowman Michael PETERSON. "But that was not the direction we wanted to go in, so we came into the rep ready to take it from the start and dominate."
And that is what they did, racing the fastest time of the day in the coxless pair event at 7:02.13. The U.S. crew took control and didn't look back.
"We knew we were in command at the start of the second thousand so we put it on autopilot," said HOLLAND. "We were far enough in front so that is someone made a move we could react."
The pair, while a good mix on the water, are very different individuals on land, something the two have not found to be a problem. And while there is some tension after a bad race, the crew knows it is human nature and something any true athlete will not allow to become a factor.
"If you are incompatible, you have to discover a way to get along with the other person," said HOLLAND. "But Mike and I knew where each of us was coming from. At the team selections we said we wanted to row with each other and it has worked so far."
HOLLAND admits he and his partner will never have the same idea of what a fun Friday night is and also points out the two have different long range goals in their lives. "When this is over, Mike will return to Wall Street while I start training for the Hawaii Iron Man," said HOLLAND. "Mike is this now and is good at it. This is what I am and always will be."
Despite their differing future plans, the two have the same goal in Atlanta - win the gold.
This is an official publication of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publications Department. Written by Lynne Bragg.
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| The Mother Nature was kind to Olympic athletes and spectators. The average high temperature during the Games was 89 degrees with an average low of 72 degrees. Highest temperature registered (20 July) - 99 degrees. Lowest high temperature registered is 79 degrees (28 July). |