Ross Tong knows the euphoric sensation of rowing an Olympic medal for his country.
The former policeman promoted a bronze medal in the water for New Zealand at the Los Angeles Games of 1984 in Lake Casitas.
“Everything an athlete wants is a fair opportunity in a medal,” said Tong, after inspecting a regional place of Queensland now contentious selected for the Brisbane Olympic Games.
The Fitzroy River in Rockhampton, the largest river basin that flows to the eastern coast of Australia, will organize rowing events and canoeing in 2032.
The 2032 rowing events of the Brisbane Olympic Games will take place in Rockhampton. (AAP through Photosport: Iain McGregor)
But the decision has received a violent reaction from national and international organizations that have indicated that they will oppose the plan, saying that the river route does not meet the required technical standards.
“When I saw the [Rockhampton] Place that I thought as a training place, very good, but it is a river, it has flow and, therefore, it is not fair, “Tong said.
“I don’t see how World Rowing will really ratify that it is a place.“
Tong said many variables should be eliminated, including water quality and weed management.
“Everything a rush wants are fair conditions,” he said.
“[River current] It can have a massive effect on the boat, then there are the possibilities that the grass is trapped in a rudder or a fin and that significantly slows down the boat.
“If you look at some of the [Olympic final] Finished are so incredibly close and the facilities must be perfect and should be detected absolutely. “
National and international organisms of rowing and canoeing have criticized the decision to organize Paddle events in Rockhampton. (ABC Capricorn: Alice Roberts)
Primordial justice and security
Although Brisbane’s organizers are still firm that rowing events and canoeing will continue in the Fitzroy River, the place has not suffered any technical viability assessment.
“That would confirm its ability to organize national or international careers,” said a World Rowing spokesman.
“Justice and security are essential for anywhere organizing events of this magnitude and importance, and any remote course for international careers must comply with the Rowing Rowing careers and technical requirements.”
Members of the Australian male rowing train four of the team during a training session at the Tokyo Olympic Games. (AP: Lee Jin-Man)
In the past, Rockhampton Waterway has been used as a training installation for the Australian Reloe team, even before the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, and with more plans to do the same before the next games in Los Angeles.
“We certainly have a lot of love for Rockhampton, but a training field is a different proposal to an Olympic and Paralympic regatta,” said Rowing Executive Australia, Sarah Cook.
“The main concern for us, of course, is that we have a place that is fair for our athletes … They have trained their entire life for this event.“
Sarah Cook (second on the right) represented Australia as a rower. (AAPA)
An former Olympic and elite, Cook, said the national organism would work with the game organizers to “find the best possible option for all interested parties.”
“At the end of the day we want a great Olympic game,” he said.
“One of the requirements for the world row is that the course does not have a flow to be an international standard and Fitzroy has a current, so it will be interesting to see how technical evaluations range from that perspective.”
The Fitzroy river row course has organized state and national regattas. (Supplied: Rockhampton Fitzroy Rowing Club)
The International Canoas Federation [ICF] And Paddle Australia also questioned the proposal to use the Fitzroy River.
“Currently does not comply with ICF standards to organize international events,” said an ICF spokesman.
“It has been a surprise for both ICF and Paddle Australia that Rockhampton has been chosen taking into account the extensive exams that had been carried out in other potential places.”
River flow is not a problem
The Fitzroy River is in the heart of the city of Rockhampton and is famous for the great Barramundi and the crocodiles.
In January, three crocodiles were made at home between the first and second hole at North Rockhampton Golf Club.
But rowing officials are more concerned about the current in the location of the center of Queensland than the crocodiles.
Charging…
However, the water monitoring system of the Queensland government shows a historical average current flow rate in the Superior Fitzroy River during the winter months, when the Olympic Games would take place in Rockhampton, it is located well below the accepted rate of World Rowing for the Olympic regattas.
The Fitzroy bombardment, built to manage the water supply, separates the fresh water upstream from the salt water from dizziness downstream.
The Rockhampton Regional Council said that the months of July and August traditionally saw the slightest need to open the flood of Fitzroy in response to rivers flows.
Water running through the bombing of the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton. (ABC News: Jonathan Hair)
Rockhampton Fitzroy Rowing Club has also defended the Olympic state of the river.
“We have shown that we can celebrate great rowing events and we will do it again with the Olympic Games,” said Rockhampton Mayor Tony Williams.
“There is a lot of work ahead, but I can not wait honestly and I am anxious to work to help deliver what will be a massive victory for our region.”
Queensland Prime Minister David Crisafulli has assured the public that Rockhampton will be Olympic Rowing’s host. (Supplied: Rockhampton Grammar School)
Queensland Prime Minister David Crisafulli urged all federations and other interested parties to work together in support of Queensland’s suggested places.
“We will work absolutely with all the federations of rowing and I know it will be world class.”
said.
“It’s not just about rowing, it’s also about having the eyes of the world in a regional center.”
School rowers train on the Fitzroy River every day. (Supplied: Rockhampton Grammar School)
Crisafulli said he had also talked to the Minister of Environment, Andrew Powell, to address the issue of crocodiles on the river route where the row is celebrated.
He said the government would consider re -classifying that stretch of the Fitzroy River to an active elimination zone so that the crocodiles surveyed, trapped and eliminated.
