qualifying in the men’s
single by just 0.78 seconds.
FISA hopes that the athlete
may be able to continue for
Rio 2016.
The qualification regatta gave
the opportunity for two team
boats to earn an Olympic
berth. Both of these spots
went to Egypt. Omar Emira
and Mohamed Nofel won the
lightweight men’s double sculls.
The crew is a mixture of youth
and experience. Emira first
made the national team seven
years ago, while Nofel is newer
to the sport, and just took up
rowing seven years ago.
The lightweight women’s double sculls spot
went to Ingy Hossam El Din and Sara Ashraf of
Egypt. Ashraf, 22, has competed at the African
and Arab level, but never at the World Rowing
Championship level, while Hossam El Din, 19,
raced this year at the World Rowing Under 23
Championships.
means looking to the 2014 Youth African Games
in Botswana and encouraging more junior rowers.
There is also a focus on the 2015 African Games
in Congo as a priority event for the continent. The
African Championships are another important
event. They take place every year except in the
year of the African Games, two weeks after the
World Rowing Championships. Next year they
will be held in Morocco.
The pool of countries participating increased this
year with seven nations that did not participate in
2007 taking part – Morocco, Madagascar, Niger,
Sudan, Namibia, Zambia and Libya.
FISA competitive commission member Faycal
Soula says the focus for rowing in Africa is now
to prepare for the 2016 Olympic Games. This
“Africa is a good region to develop rowing because
of the many lakes and rivers,” says Soula. “We are
planning a programme of events through the next
four years and will focus on the development of
future African Games.”
Omar Emira (b) Mohamed
Nofel (s) from Egypt, who
qualified for London 2012
at the African Olympic
Qualification Regatta.
