Michigan Olympic Updates: Rowing
8/13/2016 12:00:00 AM | Rowing, Olympics
• Rio Olympics Site | U-M Olympics Coverage
Saturday, Aug. 13
Rowing in the stroke seat, Amanda Elmore (2014) helped the United States women's eight to victory in the Olympic final, becoming the first individual in Michigan rowing program history to win an Olympic gold medal. » Complete Story
• Amanda Elmore (eight): 1st, Olympic Final (6:01.49)
Felice Mueller (right) and Grace Luczak
Friday, Aug. 12
In the Olympic final, Felice Mueller (2009-12) and Grace Luczak (2008) placed fourth in 7:24.77, just off the podium in a race that featured the world's best crews. Mueller and Luczak put in another strong performance, jumping out into second place through 1,000 meters then falling behind New Zealand and Denmark in the final stages of the race.
• Felice Mueller, Grace Luczak (pair): 4th, Olympic Final (7:24.77)
Thursday, Aug. 11
With races resuming in calm conditions on Thursday, right off the bat in the morning was the women's pair semifinal for Felice Mueller (2009-12) and Grace Luczak (2008). Mueller and Luczak put in another strong performance, jumping out into third place through 1,000 meters, then chasing down the pair from South Africa for second place in their semifinal (7:20.930) and a spot in the Olympic Final on Friday (Aug. 12) at 10:04 a.m. EDT. Later in the morning, Ellen Tomek (2003-06) and women's double sculls partner Meghan O'Leary competed for a spot on the podium, and in challenging conditions, ended their Olympic campaign with a sixth-place finish (8:06.180). Previously, Tomek finished fifth in the double sculls at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
• Felice Mueller, Grace Luczak (pair): 2nd, A/B semifinal (7:20.93) -- advanced to Olympic Final
• Ellen Tomek (double sculls): 6th, Olympic Final (8:06.18)
Wednesday, Aug. 10
Competition was postponed Wednesday due to rain and wind, pushing the women's pair semifinal for Felice Mueller (2009-12) and Grace Luczak (2008) to Thursday (Aug. 11) at 7:30 a.m. EDT.
Tuesday, Aug. 9
In one of the closest and most dramatic Olympic rowing races to date, Ellen Tomek (2003-06) and women's double sculls partner Meghan O'Leary surged into the A final with four boats fighting for the top three spots at the finish line. In fourth place until the final stroke, Tomek and O'Leary pulled ahead of New Zealand with a 6:52.920 finish, just .05 seconds in front for a chance to race for a medal. The women's double sculls A final will take place on Thursday (Aug. 11) at 9:04 p.m. EDT.
• Ellen Tomek (double sculls): 3rd, semifinals (6:52.92) -- advanced to final
Monday, Aug. 8
Rowing in the stroke seat of the women's eight, USRowing's Amanda Elmore (2014) and the "great eight" of the United States posted the best time of any crew in their opening heat of the Rio Olympics, qualifying for Saturday's (Aug. 13) A final with an open-water win in 6:06.34. Elmore and the U.S. eight will race for a chance to clinch a third straight Olympic gold medal in the event, continuing a decade-long dynasty.
USRowing's Ellen Tomek (2003-06) and women's double sculls partner Meghan O'Leary bounced back in better racing conditions on Monday, finishing second in the repechage in 7:00.60 after a blistering charge in the second half of the race, nearly chasing down Germany (7:00.54) to win the race. Tomek and O'Leary will race in Tuesday's (Aug. 9) A/B semifinals at 9:10 a.m. EDT against Germany, China, Lithuania, New Zealand and Greece, with the top three finishers advancing to the A final.
In her Olympic debut, USRowing's Felice Mueller (2009-12) and pair partner Grace Luczak (2008) were dominant in their first heat of the Rio Olympics, nearly topping the time of Great Britain's formidable pair with a 7:05.14 finish, well ahead of crews from Spain, Poland, Italy and Romania. Mueller and Luczak move on to Wednesday's (Aug. 10) A/B semifinals.
• Amanda Elmore (eight): 1st, heat 1 (6:06.34) -- advanced to final
• Ellen Tomek (double sculls): 2nd, repechage (7:00.6) -- advanced to semifinals
• Felice Mueller, Grace Luczak (pair): 1st, heat 3 (7:05.14) -- advanced to semifinals
Sunday, Aug. 7
Sunday's racing was postponed due to high winds at the Olympic Rowing Course on Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas. Scheduled to compete for USRowing were Felice Mueller (2009-12) and partner Grace Luczak (2008) in the pair heats as well as Ellen Tomek (2004-06) in the double sculls repechage. Those races were rescheduled for Monday (Aug. 8).
Ellen Tomek (left)
Saturday, Aug. 6
On the opening day of Olympic rowing competition, USRowing's Ellen Tomek (2004-06) and women's double sculls partner Meghan O'Leary placed fourth in their heat, finishing in 7:46.92 after catching several strokes in the rough conditions. Poland won the heat in 7:16.16, while China and Belarus placed second and third, respectively. Tomek and O'Leary will race in tomorrow's (Sunday, Aug. 7) repechage at 10:40 a.m. EDT against Denmark, the Czech Republic and Germany.
• Ellen Tomek (double sculls): 4th, heat 2 (7:46.92) -- to repechage
