ACOG - Rowing - IBM

Who to Watch in Rowing

While the United States finished on top at the 1995 World Championships in Tampere, Finland, with seven total medals, the countries expected to dominate the rowing competition at the Summer Games are the ever-strong Italy, Germany, Canada, Denmark and Australia.

Single Sculls

The women's single sculls competition has been popularized by three-time Olympian Silken LAUMANN of Canada who will once again be a favored medalist in 1996. LAUMANN had her own heroic finish at the 1992 Barcelona Games. She won the bronze medal after suffering a career-threatening leg injury during training just eight weeks prior to the Games. LAUMANN finished second in Tampere to Sweden's Maria BRANDIN, who came from behind to capture the gold.

In men's competition, World Champion Slovenian Iztok COP, who hopes to bring home his country's first Olympic gold medal, will need to contend with returning 1992 gold and silver medalists Thomas LANGE of Germany and Vaclav CHAPULA of the Czech Republic.

Double Sculls

Keep your eyes on the Danish to provide some intense rivalry in the men's double sculls events. The 1995 World Championship team of Lars CHRISTENSEN and Martin Haldbo HANSEN will be challenged by the always-strong German team.

Canada's dynamic duo of Marnie MCBEAN and Kathleen HEDDLE will be the team to beat in women's double sculls at the Games. The two join forces after winning gold medals in Barcelona in the coxless pair and women's eight.

Lightweight Double Sculls

One of three new events to the Olympic rowing schedule, watch for the Australian and Swiss men's teams to headline the 18 countries represented in the competition. In what seems to be a pattern of success, Canada will be the team to watch in the women's lightweight double sculls as the 1995 World Championship team of Wendy WIEBE and Colleen MILLER will attempt to prove worthy of their title.

Quadruple Sculls

Germany will look to maintain its success in the womenÕs quadruple sculls as it returns to defend its 1992 Olympic gold medal. There's a good indication they could achieve that goal Ñ the Germans captured top honors at the World Championships in Tampere.

All eyes will be on the two-time defending world championship Italian team of Massimo PARADISO, Alessandro CORONA, Rossano GALTAROSSA and Alessio SARTORI to be top contenders in the menÕs quadruple sculls. Italy will need to shutdown the powerful German team to take its place high on the Olympic podium.

Coxless Pair

Great Britain claims bragging rights to the "team to watch" in the coxless pair — Steven REDGRAVE and Matthew PINSENT will be looking for their second consecutive Olympic gold medal.

Although Australia's Megan STILL and Kate SLATTER walked away with the gold from the World Championships in the women's coxless pair, never underestimate France's Christine GOSSE and Celine GARCIA, who clocked the fastest heat in the women's semifinals at Tampere to steal the thunder from the Aussies.

Coxless Four

Look for a showdown between Italy and Great Britain in this men-only sweep event. While the Englishmen defeated Italy in the semifinals of the 1995 World Championships, the Italians returned the favor and edged out Great Britain to take the title in the finals.

Lightweight Coxless Four

Like the heavyweight coxless four competition, the Italians are favored to medal in the lightweight event. Vying with Italy to capture the title in the first lightweight sweep Olympic event will be Denmark and Germany, which finished second and third respectively to Italy in Tampere.

Eight

In the ever-popular eight-man competition, watch for the Olympic host country United States to contend for medals in both the men's and women's eight. While the men's eight will look to better its bronze finish at the World Championships, the women's eight is a good prediction for the gold after its top finish in Tampere. The men will need to control the crews from Germany and the Netherlands, while the U.S. women will be looking over their shoulders for looming talent from Romania and the Netherlands.

Competing Countries

ALG Algeria
ARG Argentina
AUS Australia
AUT Austria
BLR Belarus
BEL Belgium
BRA Brazil
BUL Bulgaria
CAN Canada
CHN People's Republic of China
CRO Croatia
CUB Cuba
CZE Czech Republic
DEN Denmark
EGY Eqypt
EST Estonia
FIN Finland
FRA France
GER Germany
GBR Great Britain
GRE Greece
HKG Hong Kong
HUN Hungary
IRL Ireland
ITA Italy
JPN Japan
KOR Korea
LAT Latvia
LTU Lithuania
MEX Mexico
NED Netherlands
NZL New Zealand
NOR Norway
POL Poland
ROM Romania
RUS Russian Federation
SVK Slovakia
RSA Republic of South Africa
SLO Slovenia
ESP Spain
SWE Sweden
SUI Switzerland
UKR Ukraine
USA United States of America
ZIM Zimbabwe

This is an official publication of The Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publications Department. Written by Jennifer Knight with information provided by Lynne Bragg.


Olympic Factoid
Closing Ceremony of the 1996 Games involved a crew of 2,100 who worked with more than 3,500 performers as well as thousands of athletes who celebrated on the field of Olympic Stadium.