Rower Dattu Baban Bhokanal on Monday qualified for the Rio Olympics after clinching silver in the men’s single sculls event at the Fisa Asian and Oceania Olympic qualification regatta at Chung-ju in S
Rower Dattu Baban Bhokanal on Monday qualified for the Rio Olympics after clinching silver in the men’s single sculls event at the Fisa Asian and Oceania Olympic qualification regatta at Chung-ju in South Korea.
The 25-year-old armyman clocked 7 minutes and 07.63 seconds in the 2-km course to finish second. The top seven in the finals qualify for the Rio Games.
Nashik-born Bhokanal, who trains at the Army Rowing Node in Pune, was on course for a gold medal finish as he was leading the five-man field till the 1,500 metre mark but Korean Dongyong Kim (07 mins 05.13 secs) overtook him at the final stretch.
“We are very much delighted that Bhokanal has qualified for the Rio Games in men’s single sculls event by finishing second in the Asian Olympic qualifying event in Korea,” Rowing Federation of India secretary general Girish J. Phadnis said.
India could not, however, book a Rio berth in the men’s light weight double sculls as the pair of Vikram Singh and Roopendra Singh finished fifth in the finals. Only the top three qualify for the Rio Olympics in this category.
Phadnis also said that Bhokanal will be the lone Indian rower taking part in Rio Games as no more qualifying events are left now.
By virtue of qualifying for the Rio Games, Bhokanal is expected to be included in the government’s Target Olympic Podium Scheme which funds medal prospects in their training and preparation.
Bhokanal will be the ninth rower to represent India in the Olympics
