(24 July 1996; Day 5)
Before most races, rowers worry about such things as the wind and water conditions or the competition they are about to encounter. But Irishman Neville MAXWELL was worried about one thing before his repechage on Wednesday, his crew's last chance to qualify for the semifinals in the men's lightweight coxless four.
"I kept wondering whether I had put the lid on the hamster cage after I fed it this morning," said MAXWELL. "I have been feeding the hamster and I suddenly thought, while I was sitting at the start, that I might have left the top off and what would happen if the cat ate it."
The Irish team is staying at the home of a Gainesville family at Lake Lanier and the woman offered her home to the team on one condition: look after the two cats and hamster.
MAXWELL appeared to resolve his worries and helped his Irish foursome win their repechage to advance to the semifinals in the lightweight event slated for Friday, 26 July. With a time of 6:00.99, the crew beat the British boat by 1.66 to place first in the race.
"We had a good race but we were not going flat out," said MAXWELL. "We kept the same momentum and flow and put a bit more nerve and acceleration into the finish."
Ireland did not qualify for the Olympic Games until last month's Lucerne Regatta, where they posted the best Olympic qualifying time. The crew of MAXWELL, Derek HOLLAND, Samuel LYNCH, and Anthony O'CONNOR, are on a whirlwind since the Regatta, coming to the Olympics and now ready to leave for the World Championships on the Monday following final competition.
"We have known since September that our schedule was like this," said MAXWELL. "But we feel that we have prepared for this so we are ready. We will just have to cramp a week's worth of partying into Sunday night."
This is an official publication of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publications Department. Written by Lynne Bragg.
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| 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. |