OLYMPICS LATEST - Campbell finishes fifth in final
COLERAINE'S Alan Campbell finished fifth in Saturday's Olympic single sculls final.
Alan has been struggling to recover from a knee operation only two months ago and although he took an early lead, and was lying second at the half way mark, he was overhauled to finish fifth.
Olympic champion Olaf Tufte clinched gold for a second time with Ondrej Synek and world champion Mahe Drysdale on silver and bronze.
Speaking on BBC after the race he said: "I feel I can hold my head high. I did my best and that is all you can ask.
"This is not the last you have seen of me. We will put together another four-year plan and I feel I can step up from here.
"I will be 29 at London in 2012 so I have time on my side.
"I have worked so hard this year but I will train even harder."
Richard Chambers and the GB light weight mens four are in action in their final on Sunday morning.
Friday
COLERAINE'S Richard Chambers and his GB crew are through to the Olympic finals on Sunday.
The GB crew came home in third place behind Denmark and a late charging France but Richard Archibald and the Irish crew were narrowly beaten into fourth and miss out on an A final spot.
The GB team fought a close battle with Denmark throughout the lightweight fours race but in the last 500m Denmark pushed ahead with France putting in a late surge to claim second place.
The Irish crew rowed well to keep pace with the other boats but despite a massive final section they were just pipped for the last finals position by the French.
The final will be on Sunday morning.
Thursday
Chambers, rowing for Team GB, and Archibald for Ireland, in the lightweight men's fours were due to take part in the same semi final race this morning (Thursday).
The weather was so bad that organisers had to switch the competition to Friday, originally designated a rest day for the teams.
Now the Coleraine duo have to wait 24 hours to see if they can follow fellow Coleraine rower Alan Campbell and claim a final spot and leave themselves in with a shot at the medals.
Wednesday
COLERAINE rower Alan Campbell dedicated his win to Coleraine and Hanover Place as he secured his place in the Olympic finals on Saturday
Speaking to our correspondent in Beijing just after the race Alan said: "I won't let you down in the final.
"I punched the air at the finish for everyone in Coleraine, Northern Ireland, everyone back home. I've had so many texts and messages of support, it's been phenomenal.
"I was buzzing on the start and I want to thank all the people watching and supporting back home. I'm going to give it absolutely everything.
"Realistically, anyone of us can win the final. I've got an outside chance, the underdog's chance, but it's always better being the underdog.
"I loved every stroke of the semi. It was a great race, brilliant. I've beaten the Kiwi world champion in the Olympic semi-final, and it feels good.
"Now I've got two days to make sure I recover and get myself ready for the biggest race of my life. And I know I can step it up more in the final, definitely."
Speaking live on BBC just after the race he said there was "more to come in the final" and dedicted the race to "Northern Ireland and Hanover Place" - (home of the Bann Rowing Club!)
Speaking from Beijing after the event, Alan's mother Jennifer said: "The atmosphere is electric around the grandstand. The GB supporters went mad.
"It's going to be a great final."
Alan came out strongly in the first 500m of the mens single scull semi final, but the Czech Republic's Ondrej Syrek and Mahe Drysdale soon reeled him in to control the race.
Syrek crossed the line first, with Campbell upping the pace and finishing second, pipping his good friend and three-time world champion Drysdale into third.
The final will be live on BBC on Saturday morning just before 9.00am. Don't miss it!!
Earlier news
Coleraine and Ireland rower Richard Archibald won through to the semi finals of the light weight fours at Beijing on Tuesday (August 12).
Archibald's crew easily won their repechage race this morning by more than three seconds from the Netherlands, US and Egypt.
It means that all three Coleraine rowers are now safely through to the Olympic semis.
On Sunday Richard Chambers and the Team GB light weight four crew claimed second in their heat to automatically move to the semis on Thursday.
They will now be joined by the Irish quartet.
On Monday Alan Campbell took a comfortable second place to reach the semi finals of the mens single scull. It will be raced on Wednesday morning.
Full reports on all the action in this week's Coleraine Times
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Weather for Coleraine
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 14 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
