NewsDay
1 August 2012
Female rower Micheen Thornycroft failed to advance to the semi-finals Group A/B of the women’s singles sculls yesterday after finishing fourth in the quarter-finals at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
The 25-year-old Thornycroft finished in a time of 7:56.66 behind China’s 36 year old Xiuyun Zhang who finished first in a time of 7:39.58 with Julia Levina of Russia (39) coming second in 7:41 28.
Donata Vistartaite of Lithuania (23) finished third in a time of 7: 45.68.
Thornycroft was one of the youngest rowers competing for a semi-final place at the Games and although she performed well to qualify for the semi-finals group C/D she fell just short of making it to the semi-finals’ group A/B.
The Zimbabwean athlete had done well to finish third in heat two in a time of 7:47.10s on Saturday and there were hopes she would repeat the same feat by progressing to the semi-finals groupA/B. She now prepares to line up for the semi-finals group C/D set for tomorrow.
According to the competition format, events with 13–18 boats begin with heats, from which the best boats qualify directly for semi-finals A/B.
All other boats progress to the repechage round, which offers a second chance to qualify for the semi-finals.
The best three boats in semi-finals A/B qualify for final A, which determines places 1–6 (including the medals).
Unsuccessful boats from semi-finals A/B go forward to final B, which determines places 7–12.
Unsuccessful boats from the repechage go forward to final C, which determines places 13–18.
Meanwhile, Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture David Coltart has saluted swimming icon Kirsty Coventry following her heroics at the Games where she qualified for the 200m individual medley event on Monday night.
The 28-year-old produced a fine performance which saw her reaching the final in a time of 2:10.51.
“Kirsty has had a changed coach, dislocated knee, pneumonia, only two competition races this year no large team around and still qualified,†posted Coltart on Twitter.
Coventry was scheduled to compete in the final last night.