ROWING: Australian crews competing at the Youth Olympic Games have advanced to the B Finals on Day 3 at the Nanjing Rowing-Canoeing School after they both experienced difficult starts.

A long distance specialist, Schramko has been trying to increase his stroke frequency for the shorter, 1000m course at the Youth Olympics and finished fifth in the A/B final of the men’s single sculls.

“I didn’t have the start I wanted,” the Mosman rower said. “I was pretty disappointed.”

Schramko, then proceeded to row ‘catch up’ for the remained of the race, putting on a late surge at the 750m mark, to finish 2.32 seconds behind the race winner, Tim Naske of Germany, who is also the World Junior Champion.

In the women’s pairs event, Miller and Tyler Ferris finished fifth in the repechage event, 15.7 seconds behind the race winners, Luo and Pan of China.

Unfortunately for the Queensland twins, the collar of their oar broke just before the start, slightly distracting them from the race ahead.

"Well our warm up didn’t go to plan as the collar came off and we spent the warm up trying to get help,” Tyler said.

“We were a little bit rushed and it was just an awkward situation,” the younger of the twins added.

The twins don’t mind the shorter distance but are not used to racing accordingly.

“We have to race a lot harder, which is not something we are used to,” Miller said.

“There is not as much pacing yourself and it feels unusual as you have all this energy, which you don’t normally have in a race.”

Schramko and the Ferris twins now row in the B Finals tomorrow on Day 4 of competition at the Youth Olympic Games.

“We shall go back, warm down and refocus for the events tomorrow.”

Frances Cordaro
Olympics.com.au
@AUSOlympicTeam