University of Canterbury students Andrew O’Connor and Armin Svoboda have overcome challenging conditions to win bronze in the men’s lightweight double scull at the World Universities Rowing Championships in Szeged, Hungary.
O’Connor a chemical engineering student and Svoboda who is studying business management were drawn in lane six. This meant they not only had to contend with a field which included Olympic and World Championship representatives but a tough lane draw.
The kiwi crew got out to a good start but they were all square with the Italians, Germans and Polish with just 500m to go. As the strong head and side winds in the outside lane started to take toll, the duo slipped back to fourth and the opportunity for New Zealand’s first medal at the event looked all but gone.
However, O’Connor, a veteran of the university rowing circuit and his younger crew mate Svoboda dug deep to make a final push for the line. In the end they finished just half a second behind the German team of Overmann and Schutzeberg and were deserved winners of New Zealand’s only medal of the Championships.
In other results University of Otago student Elyse Fraser, won the women's single B final and University of Canterbury men’s double of Richard Harrison and Matthew Glenn finished second in their B final ranking them 8th overall.
Aside from the medal winning crew the talk of the team was Fergus Fauvel’s performance in the men’s single scull.
Fauvel who is only in his third year of rowing put in a massive effort during his semi-final finishing under 7 minutes and confirming his place in the A final. He then went on to finish a respectable 5th overall despite having to contend with a strong headwind.
It is well known within university sport circles that these types of events have helped unearthed some of New Zealand’s best rowing talent. This includes the likes of Mayhe Drysdale whose first competitive rowing event was as a novice at the 1997 New Zealand University Games event in Dunedin.
At the New Zealand Universities Blues awards earlier this year rowing dominated the major awards. World champion rower Hamish Bond was named the 2009 New Zealand University Sportsperson of the Year and Storm Uru took out the Maori Sportsperson of the Year category.
It is anticipated that Fauvel will build on his experience at this event and challenge for selection into senior New Zealand teams alongside the likes of Drysdale, Bond and Uru.
The World University Rowing Championships is the last event on University Sport New Zealand’s international calendar for 2010, and the bronze medal by O’Connor and Svoboda caps off what has been a very successful year.
Out of the five sport delegations selected to represent at different World University Championships three have brought home medals. This is confirmation that the new selection standards are helping to facilitate better performances and competitive results.
It is hoped this trend continues into the 2011 World University Games in Shenzhen. USNZ aim to send a delegation capable of eclipsing the four medal haul won at the same event in 2009.
