Lawrie fourth in the world at Youth Olympic Games

August 20, 2014

Chris Lawrie, of Sir William Borlase Grammar School in Marlow, proved that he is one of the finest young scullers in the world today as he finished fourth in the final of the men’s single scull at the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China. This followed his silver medal in the men’s quadruple scull at the recent Junior World Rowing Championships in Hamburg.

Lawrie started the final strongly as he was well-placed in second at the 500m mark, behind Tim Ole Naske of Germany, who won gold in the single scull at the Junior Worlds. Dan de Groot of Canada and Azerbaijan’s Boris Yotov were hot on Lawrie’s heels throughout the race, and in the second half of the race both managed to push past as Lawrie finished agonisingly short of a medal, just over a second behind de Groot in third.

“I am really pleased with that, it is probably one of the best races I have ever done,” said Lawrie.  

He added: “I have never raced the single internationally before so to come so close to a medal was great and I am really pleased.”

Team GB’s other entrant into the rowing event at The Games was Anna Thornton, of Nottingham Rowing Club. Thornton also won a medal at the World Junior Championships – bronze in the junior women’s quadruple scull.
Thornton raced in today’s B final, having just missed out on a place in the final with fourth place in her earlier semi.

The Nottingham rower produced a solid race in her ‘B’ final, though, as she finished in second (eighth in the event overall) behind Norway’s Thea Helseth, in a time of 4:01.21.

Lawrie had also performed extremely well in his semifinal yesterday as he finished in second place in a time of 3:24.13, to secure a place in today’s final.

“The aim was always to get to the final,” said Lawrie, “I didn’t really know where I would be coming into the competition but after the first race I assessed where I could go and we set out the goals from there. Getting in the A final was the goal”.

SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE
=================================================
RESULTS

These results are only for GB crews, for a full list of results from all event at the Games visit:
http://www.nanjing2014.org/en/en_sports/GamestimeResults.htm

JUNIOR

WOMEN

Single scull – Final B

1. Thea Helseth (Norway) 3:59.28
2. Anna Thornton (GREAT BRITAIN) 4:01.21
3. Daniella Du Toit (Zimbabwe) 4:01.83
4. Anna Zabova (Czech Republic) 4:03.69
5. Eimear Lambe (Ireland) 4:03.82
6. Marina Kaic (Croatia) 4:05.06

JUNIOR

MEN

Single scull – Final A

1. Tim Ole Naske (Germany) 3:21.22
2. Boris Yotov (Azerbaijan) 3:21.82
3. Dan de Groot (Canada) 3:22.21
4. Chris Lawrie (GREAT BRITAIN) 3:23.89
5. Mateusz Swietek (Poland) 3:28.31
6. Orlando Sotolongo (Cuba) 3:32.14

SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE
=================================================
CONTACT DETAILS

For media enquiries about the GB Rowing Team please contact:

The GB Rowing Team Press office at Matchtight Ltd on (01225) 384211 or [email protected] or [email protected]

For pictures please e-mail [email protected]

GB Rowing Team website, including full rower biogs: www.gbrowingteam.org.uk

Facebook: www.facebook.com/gbrowingteam
Twitter: www.twitter.com/gbrowingteam
Youtube: www.youtube.com/gbrowingteam

=================================================
THE GB ROWING TEAM is supported by the Lottery through UK Sport and has Science in Sport as a supplier. SAS Analytics is the Official Analytics Partner of British Rowing and the GB Rowing Team.