ROWING:HOW DO you help an athlete reach a new level? You show them a video of someone doing something similar. In the days before Sanita Puspure secured an Olympic Games slot for Ireland in the single sculls from the unfavoured lane six in Lucerne she watched YouTube footage of André Willms defying the odds to win the World Championships in single sculls in 1994 – from the unfavoured lane six.
Of course, Puspure did not need much motivation. She is as tough as nails on the water and off it, is lifted by her own support team of husband Kaspar and children Patrick (5) and Daniela (4).
The children cheered her on at the Olympic Qualifier wearing T-shirts which proclaimed: Go Mammy! Having jumped on to the Olympic ladder it could be thrilling to find how far up Puspure climbs.
Technically she snatched the final place of 28, but 13 have come through much easier qualifiers (Asia, Africa and Latin America) and two (Myanmar and Paraguay) were granted places by the International Olympic Council.
This should place her 13th – and at the first World Cup this season Puspure finished ahead of Donata Vistartaite of Lithuania, an automatic qualifier from last year.
“We’re aiming for a B final (places 7 to 12) or better,” says Ireland performance director Martin McElroy, who said Puspure will compete at the final World Cup in Munich in three weeks’ time.
Ireland and Belgium (double Olympian Tim Maeyens won the single scull at the qualifier) became the 57th and 58th countries to make it to London in rowing. Many of these countries have been facilitated by policies aimed at spreading rowing. However, Spain – a favourite training venue for British and Irish rowers – has not made the Olympic list.
The good weather is a boon for tomorrow’s Metropolitan Regatta at Blessington, the third leg of the eFlow Go Row League. The event has drawn an entry of 359 crews.
In Division One of the men’s eight, Gráinne Mhaol/NUIG will take on Trinity, UCD and Neptune, along with Bann from Co Derry and St Joseph’s of Galway. In the women’s eight, Skibbereen, who top the eFlow League table, will face strong opposition from UCD, Trinity, Cork and NUIG.
The men’s single has a big entry, with favourites in Dave Neale of UCD and John Keohane of Lee Valley in Cork, who won the first round of the league.
The top two women’s single scullers in the first two rounds go head-to-head: Helen Walshe won the first round at Skibbereen Regatta, while Monika Dukarska came out on top at Queen’s. Dukarska looks a good bet here: she hopes to compete full-time next season, and represent Ireland once she receives her passport.
It is a tough road. However, for Sanita Puspure it led all the way to London.
