Indian oarsmen reign supreme, win 7 golds

Richard Dwight

ROWING: The Indian oarsmen had things their own way, to assert their dominance over the rowing competition, in the 10th South Asian Games on the 2000 metre water stretch of Thotupola, Bologoda winning all the 7 events thereby accounting for seven gold medals. Pakistan came second best with 7 silver medals and Sri Lanka lay third with 7 bronze medals.

In the 4 open events with no restrictions on weight held last Saturday, India impressed by winning all the four events in the single sculls India's Bajrengal Takhar with a time of 7:24 secs: beat Pakistan's Muhammad Akram 7:39 secs:, with Sri Lanka's Sena Fonseka 8:21 secs: third. In the double sculls Sunil Kumar and Bajrangal 6:34 secs (India) beat Maqbool Ali and Ali Hassan 7:02 secs: (India) Sri Lanka's Kumarapperuma with 7:30 secs:.

The coxless pairs saw Dharmesh Sangwan and Satinish Joshi (India) 6:49 secs: beat Pakistan's Syed Shajjar Abbas and Muhammed Abdeel 7.00 secs: coming in third was Sri Lanka's Chamindra Sisira Kumara and Nishantha Chandana 7:53 secs:.

In the coxless fours India's Manoj Augustine (B) Gurdarshan Singh (2) Sukhjeet Singh (3) and Jenil Krishnan (S), with a time of 6:19 secs: beat Pakistan's Farasat Ali (B) Ghulam Nabi (2) Azmat Javad (3) Sabir Ahmad (S) 6:30 in third place was Sri Lanka with 7:26 secs: H.D. Senaratne (B) Ramith Jasyasinghe (2) Rathna Kumara (3) Nemantha Hewagama (S).

The Indian oarsmen were on a winning spree and approached yesterday's 3 events meant for light weight boats, with much enthusiasm and best. There was a keen contest in the single sculls between India's Anil Kumar and Pakistan's Muhammad Akram.

Right from the start they matched each other stroke for stroke, with each determined to outrow the other. But with Kumar giving everything he had, edged Akram by a canvas 7:24 secs: to 7:29 secs: Sri Lanka's Crishan Silva with a time 8:29 secs: was third. In the double sculls, India's combination of Manu Mathews and Bijender Singh with a time of 6:46 secs: did have the better of Pakistan's Muhammad Asad Khan and Zohaib Za Hashmi 6:59 secs: In the coxless fours the teams under starters orders were India - (B) Narayan Singh Ratore (2) Harider Kadyan (3) Saji Thomas (S) Manjeet Singh. Pakistan - (B) Muzamil Hussain (2) Muhammad Riaz (3) Majeed Ahmad (S) Muhammad Nazeer Sri Lanka (B) Hussain Jailabdeen (2) M.B. Gayan Kaushalaya (3) Chamara M. Kottehewa (S) Chanaka Talpahewa.

The respective bows did well, to steer guide and set the timing for the boats to keep forging ahead. The twos, the threes along with the strokes, kept releasing the oars with rhythmic precision to keep slicing the waters for the boats to go ahead. But in the end it was India who pulled away from Pakistan to win by 4 lengths with a timing of 6:12 secs: to Pakistan's 6:24 secs: Sri Lanka came third with a time of 7:28 secs:

Excellent new course

Amidst the gathering was former national sculling champion, Deshabandu Ray Wijewardena, an Olympian sailor and, one who won a silver medals for sailing in the 1970 Asian Games in Bangkok. Ray was full of praise for the new Thotupola Bolgoda Course, many he said felt that it could not be done, but the university of Moratuwa in a great effort has done well with a pier and broadened area to provide for 4 to 6 lanes with sufficient distance.

It is already being spoken of as a magnificent course in Asia in keeping with Olympic standards. This pioneering effort by the Moratuwa university was done according to the Global Possession System.

Gift of 12 boats from China

The government of China gifted 12 boats costing millions to the Ministry of Sports, which in turn was presented to ARASL that has come to be useful for rowing in the current South Asian Games.