This weekend the British Rowing centre at Caversham will play host once again to the final formal water trial for the senior GB Rowing Team. This is as we edge ever closer to the first international rowing event of the season in the form of World Cup I in Belgrade, Serbia. The British scullers will lock horns over a full regatta format, and although I envision the usual names to be at the top of the time sheets I wouldn’t count out some surprises.
Harry Leask
Fresh off his win at February trials, Harry Leask will be looking to build on this momentum to start the 2022 season strong, continuing on after his silver at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics last year. He’s hugely experienced and incredibly quick so I could certainly see him taking the win at final trials.
Tom Barras
Fellow Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Tom Barras will also be looking to get his second trials win of the year. He took the top bragging rights at the December water trial, then placed third at February trials in Boston. Another athlete with a wealth of experience and talent, expect Tom and Harry to battling at the sharp end of the field.
Matt Haywood
Matt Haywood has one of the strongest physiologies on the senior men’s sculling team, he brings incredible length and power to his sculling stroke and will be looking to put in a strong performance this weekend against Great Britain’s finest. As one of the younger athletes on the squad, Matt is still on a strong upward trajectory and it’ll be fascinating to see how he progresses as we edge towards the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Sam Meijer
Also one of the younger athletes on the GB sculling squad is Sam Meijer, who has enjoyed exceptional success at junior and U23 level, winning a gold and a silver at the Junior World Championships as well as three golds at the U23 World Championships. Now part of the senior squad, Sam is certainly someone I could see putting in a strong performance while also on a strong upward trend.
Graeme Thomas
Graeme Thomas is certainly one of the top scullers in the squad with Olympic experience and a record of strong performances at trials. Coming off the back of a fourth place finish in Tokyo in the Men’s Double, Graeme will be working towards getting that elusive Olympic medal in Paris in just over two years’ time.
John Collins
Graeme’s doubles partner from last year’s Olympics will also be racing this weekend. John Collins was incredibly successful throughout the last Olympiad, collecting medals at World and European Championships and will also be working towards getting his first Olympic medal after having raced at both Rio and Tokyo in the quad and double respectively.
Prediction
Overall this is an incredibly strong field to have racing in the senior men’s singles at Final Trials, Olympic medallists going head to head with young talent all competing for their seat in a boat for the international regatta season and it’ll be fascinating to see how it plays out.
I predict that Harry Leask will take the win, followed closely by Tom Barras. Third place I believe could go to a number of athletes, however if I had to put my money on one it would be Graeme Thomas.
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