sport, local-sport,

THE men’s lightweight four rowing crew controversially denied selection for Olympic qualification events are presenting a heavyweight case for inclusion. Tamar’s Ali Foot and his crewmates Perry Ward, of Western Australia, and Queenslanders Adam Kachyckyj and Nick Silcox plan to take on their heavyweight compatriots at this month’s national championships. They will row as both a heavyweight four and two pairs in Sydney as they wait to learn their Olympic fate. In the mean time the crew continues to train under Tasmanian Institute of Sport coach Brett Crow at the Buckingham Rowing Club in Hobart, still unsure whether they will be granted another chance to push for Olympic selection. ‘‘We are still training as normal,’’ Foot said. ‘‘We have a program split between time on the water and in the gym and are following that. ‘‘The coaching staff and TIS have been great keeping us on track.’’ At Penrith selection trials last month, the crew was set a selection time of 6.00:80 — more than two seconds faster than South Africa recorded to win the last Olympic title in London. They clocked 6.06 and were subsequently not selected for the European qualification regattas, a call that prompted numerous past and present rowers to speak out. Tasmanians Anthony Edwards and Simon Burgess, both multiple Olympians in the lightweight four, called the selection time ‘‘unreasonable’’ and appealed for the crew to be granted another opportunity to qualify. Warrnambool’s Tommy Bertrand, who has rowed with each of the crew members and sat behind Foot when they won 2011 world championship gold in the lightweight eight, said the decision was ‘‘unAustralian.’’ ‘‘Think about the message this sends to our next generation of lightweight rowers,’’ Bertrand said. ‘‘The 14-year-old tough-as-nails kid rowing the single on the Tamar River, the Swan, the Brisbane, the Merri; all over Australia this decision will be felt in the form of participation levels for years to come. ‘‘I have seen first-hand the drive, the passion and the hardness that is built out of this program. A program that should be trusted and invested in. This decision is going to greatly affect rowing and in particular lightweight rowing nationwide.’’ Foot said the saga had brought the crew closer together. ‘‘We’ve all gone through ups and downs through this process but being together has been really good because we keep each other positive,’’ said the 28-year-old teacher. ‘‘People seem to have been impressed how we’ve rallied together and have kept on training until we know what’s happening. ‘‘We’re really enjoying rowing and just want to keep improving.’’

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