Team South Africa started yesterday with four crews vying for medals at the Rio Olympics and the mood of anticipation was high after Shaun Keeling and Lawrence Brittain’s silver the day before.
But all four missed the podium. Two crews were in medal position at the halfway mark.
James Thompson and John Smith, the survivors of the golden four at London 2012, ended fourth in the lightweight men’s double sculls, as did the unheralded men’s heavyweight four.
Ursula Grobler and Kirsty McCann were also strong medal contenders in the lightweight women’s double sculls, but they faded from first at 1000m and second at1500m to fifth.
The women’s pair of Lee-Ann Persse and Kate Christowitz crossed the line in fifth without challenging for a medal position.
Not for the first time at these Games, South African medal hopes blew out instead of banking silverware, like Chad Le Clos ending fourth in the 200m butterfly on Tuesday night.
By yesterday morning SA’s tally stood at four gongs, with three silver and one bronze. And three fourth places.
Men’s four bow David Hunt admitted his crew had not been expected to even make the final.
“Going into this regatta everyone said if we didn’t come last it would be an achievement,” he said, adding the fourth place was scant consolation.”
“We’re all pretty devastated,” said head coach Roger Barrow.
“Mainly I feel for the athletes. John and James, Kirst and Urs, they were probably our two favourite boats and for them to get fourth and fifth is gut-wrenching.
“I think they really put themselves out there, they really were aiming for the gold in the middle, we saw their determination, but it’s so close on the line and shit happens.”
Barrow said he would have to do a post-mortem to find out what went wrong.
No medals for sad SA rowers
But all four missed the podium. Two crews were in medal position at the halfway mark.
James Thompson and John Smith, the survivors of the golden four at London 2012, ended fourth in the lightweight men’s double sculls, as did the unheralded men’s heavyweight four.
Ursula Grobler and Kirsty McCann were also strong medal contenders in the lightweight women’s double sculls, but they faded from first at 1000m and second at1500m to fifth.
The women’s pair of Lee-Ann Persse and Kate Christowitz crossed the line in fifth without challenging for a medal position.
Not for the first time at these Games, South African medal hopes blew out instead of banking silverware, like Chad Le Clos ending fourth in the 200m butterfly on Tuesday night.
By yesterday morning SA’s tally stood at four gongs, with three silver and one bronze. And three fourth places.
Men’s four bow David Hunt admitted his crew had not been expected to even make the final.
“Going into this regatta everyone said if we didn’t come last it would be an achievement,” he said, adding the fourth place was scant consolation.”
“We’re all pretty devastated,” said head coach Roger Barrow.
“Mainly I feel for the athletes. John and James, Kirst and Urs, they were probably our two favourite boats and for them to get fourth and fifth is gut-wrenching.
“I think they really put themselves out there, they really were aiming for the gold in the middle, we saw their determination, but it’s so close on the line and shit happens.”
Barrow said he would have to do a post-mortem to find out what went wrong.
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