Tokyo 2020: Helen Glover and Polly Swann struggle to keep pace in heat as hopes of third Olympic title dim
HELEN GLOVER’S hopes of a third straight Olympic title look dim after a disappointing opening to her Tokyo 2020 campaign. Glover and new partner Polly Swann were expected to lay down a marker in their opening heat at the Sea Forest Waterway. But instead the GB pair finished THIRD, behind not only Aussies Jessica Morrison […]
HELEN GLOVER’S hopes of a third straight Olympic title look dim after a disappointing opening to her Tokyo 2020 campaign.
Glover and new partner Polly Swann were expected to lay down a marker in their opening heat at the Sea Forest Waterway.
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But instead the GB pair finished THIRD, behind not only Aussies Jessica Morrison and Annabelle McIntyre but also the Russian duo of Vasilisa Stepanova and Elena Oriabinskaia.
Glover and Swann were off the pace from the outset as the Australians took control from the start.
Yet after being second at the 500m mark, they were then overtaken by the Russians, who at one point were half a length clear.
A late burst allowed Glover and Swann to close the gap but they were still 2.23seconds behind the winners.
Even more worrying, the Australian time of 7:21.73 was more than three seconds slower than the first heat winners from Canada.
Glover, who took three years out of the sport Rio to start a family, slumped her head in the bow of the boat as she crossed the line.
She and Swann still qualified for Tuesday’s semi-finals but they are now facing a battle to even make the final, let alone win it.
Glover tried to take the most out of the race, insisting: “It was good to progress. It was the first race and we’re back.
“The Tokyo version of me is different to the Rio version but I’ve always believed you learn from every race.
“We’ve done much better in training and that’s a positive. It would’ve been more frustrating if we’d had a perfect race and there was nothing to improve on.”
The 35-year-old mum of three also revealed she was celebrating. Eldest son Logan turned three today and she added: “Happy Birthday – I love you so much, baby boy!
“Three years ago you came into this world and you are my biggest ever inspiration.”
‘FIGHT ON THEIR HANDS’
Olympic gold medallist Dame Katherine Grainger told BBC Sport: “We haven’t seen Helen back in the boat for five years.
“We all have – and continue to have – high hopes but we also haven’t seen the rest of the world for almost two years.
“So, Helen and Polly came back to do the Europeans and they won it, which was impressive.
“The big risks, the leading nations while Helen has been away have been the USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia – they were all to come back in and what they have shown here at the global level is just how good they are.
“They have a fight on their hands but this is the Olympics, they won’t give the title up easily.”
There was a better start for the lightweight double scull of Emily Craig and Imogen Grant, who qualified second in their heat.
The duo led Russia after 500m but we’re in second at half way, before responding with a burst to retake the lead.
But they were overtaken in the final 500m by the fast-finishing Romanian crew, who won by half a length.
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There was shocking start for the defending champion men’s eight, including Team GB flagbearer Moe Sbihi.
Fears over a typhoon due on Monday saw their race brought forward 24 hours, meaning Sbihi’s preparations were changed and disrupted.
The boat, expected to battle with Germany for gold, finished a woeful third in their heat behind Holland and New Zealand in only the fifth fastest time of the morning, putting their prospects into stark relief.
And the women’s eight were utterly outclassed as they dropped off the pace from the start and never got into the race, finishing fourth and 19 seconds behind winners New Zealand.
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