Monday, September 18, 2000
Rowers will have to do better to medal
Three Cincinnatians face long odds in next round
By Paul Daugherty
The Cincinnati Enquirer
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WALLPAPER
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Greg Ruckman
(second from right)
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Kelly Salchow
(far right)
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Bryan Volpenhein
(far right)
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SYDNEY, Australia — Three Cincinnati rowers still have a chance at medals.
The men's lightweight four finished second in its morning heat, moving into the semifinals on Thursday. Wyoming High product Greg Ruckman said his team was “good, but not great. We got the job done.”
The men's time was 6:16.36, sixth best among 14 teams rowing in three heats.
The women's quadruple sculls were less successful. They finished third in their heat, with a time of 6:42.12, and will need to finish in the top two Thursday in the repechage to qualify for a spot in the semis.
Cincinnatian Kelly Salchow attributed it to nerves.
“It was back and forth inside my head,” said Salchow, who went to Walnut Hills High and UC. “It was, oh my god, I'm at the Olympics on the one hand, and "Kelly, you have to concentrate' on the other. It was a lot of nerves we weren't prepared for.”
The men's eight, which includes Kings High grad Bryan Volpenhein and is favored to win gold, finished second in its heat, a result that prompted a lengthy team meeting after the race.
The U.S. time of 5:35.70 was fourth best overall, out of nine teams. They will have to race in the repechage Thursday, and finish in the top two to move on.
An Olympic media liaison said Volpenheim and his teammates were not permitted by their coaches to speak to the media.
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