Asian Rowing Olympic Qualifier 2024: Balraj Panwar secures a quota for Paris Olympics 2024
Indian single scull rower Balraj Panwar created history after finishing third in the final race of the Asian Rowing Olympic Qualifier 2024, clocking 7:01.27 seconds. It’s important to note that the top five single scull rowers in the final race will secure their spots in the Paris Olympics 2024.
Kazakhstani rower Vladislav Yakovlev clinched the gold medal, clocking 6:59.46 seconds, while Indonesian rower Memo secured the silver medal, clocking 6:59.74 seconds. Panwar had to settle for the bronze medal in the final.
Interestingly, Shakhboz Kholmurzaev, who took up the first spot in the semi-final race, finished fifth in the final race, clocking 7:02.47 seconds. Hong Kong’s Hin Chun Chiu took up the fourth spot, while Thailand’s Premanut Wattananusith settled for the sixth and last spot.
Notably, the final of the Asian Rowing Olympic Qualifier 2024 took place in Chungju, South Korea. Meanwhile, Salman Khan and Nitin Deol secured the gold medal in the Asia Cup doubles scull.
The pair clocked 6:35.73 seconds in the Asia Cup final competition in Tangeum Lake alongside the Asian Rowing Olympic Qualifier 2024.
What about lightweight doubles scull in the Asian Rowing Olympic Qualifier 2024?
Shifting our focus to the lightweight doubles scull, Olympian Arvind Singh and his partner Uttwal Kumar failed to clinch a spot in the Paris Olympics 2024 as the duo could settle for the third position in the final race.
Arvind Singh and Uttwal Kumar clocked 6:30.11 seconds, while Japan and Uzbekistan rowers secured the gold and silver medals in the final race. Notably, only the top two rowers in the doubles scull will move to the mega event in Paris.
Earlier in the Tokyo Olympics, rowers Arjun Lal Jat and Arvind Singh capped off India's best-ever performance at the Summer Games as the duo finished 11th in Men's Lightweight Double Sculls.
The duo created history by being the first Indian rowers to qualify for Semi-Finals A/B. Notably, Arjun and Arvind finished 5th in Final B at the Sea Forest Waterway at the Tokyo Summer Games.