For the 2020 Summer Olympics, the men’s single sculls competition was held at the Sea Forest Waterway from July 23rd to the 30th, 2021.
There were 32 rowers from 32 different countries. This will be the 28th time the competition has been featured at the Summer Olympics.
It was not part of the original 1896 Games due to terrible weather, but has appeared at every Summer Olympics since 1900.
Silver medalist Damir Martin of Croatia is the only one of the six 2016 finalists still competing.
In New Zealand’s selection procedure, Jordan Parry beat out Mahé Drysdale, the two-time defending gold medallist.
Ondej Synek (of the Czech Republic), Kjetil Borch (of Norway), and Oliver Zeidler (of Germany) are the three new World Champions since the 2016 Olympics.
Synek made the decision to skip Tokyo public on his Facebook page. Both Borch and Zeidler took part in the Tokyo competition.
Tokyo 2020 : Rower Joan Poh Kicks off TeamSG’s Campaign with a Brave Performance on Her Olympic Debut
On Friday morning, local rower Joan Poh made history as the first member of Team Singapore to compete in the Tokyo Olympics. She raced in Heat 2 of the Women’s Single Sculls event (July 23).
The 30-year-old started the 2-kilometer race at the Sea Forest Waterway in Lane 4, while the Irishwoman Sanita Puspure, a two-time world champion, was in Lane 5.
The Single Sculls event requires rowers to manoeuvre their boats through a 2,000-meter straight-line course using just one oar in each hand, with their backs to the direction of travel.
Stefanos Ntouskos Wins Gold for Greece in Men’s Single Sculls
The rower cruised to the first Olympic rowing gold for Greece, beating off Kjetil Borch of Norway for silver and Damir Martin of Croatia for bronze.
The Olympic record for the men’s single sculls was set by the Greek athlete Stefanos Ntouskos, who won in a time of 6 minutes, 40 seconds, and 45 seconds.
For the first half of the race, the Scandinavian rowers Kjetil Borch (NOR) and Sverri Nielsen (DEN) were in control.
However, the Greek rower made his move in the third quarter, and he continued to push forward with incredible force in the final 250 metres.
Crossing the finish line first and earning the gold medal. Croatian runner Martin Damir won bronze, and second-placed Borch finished only 1.21 seconds behind Ntouskos.
Ntouskos, who rowed in the sixth-placed men’s fours at Rio 2016, won Greece’s first Olympic gold medal in the sport of rowing.
Conclusion
After severe weather forced the postponement of the rowing event at the 1896 Games, the sport was added to the Olympic programme in 1900 in Paris.
When the Olympic Games were held in Montreal in 1976, women’s competitions were introduced for the first time.
There will be both men’s and women’s rowing competitions in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
