CHENNAI: Around 300 rowers are expected to compete in the 39th Senior and 23rd Open Sprints National Rowing Championships scheduled at the Army Rowing Node (ARN) in Pune from January 3 to 9. Elite rowers, both in men and women categories, including Tokyo Olympians (Arjun Lal Jat and Arvind Singh) will be the part of nationals being held after a gap of more than two years. The last nationals was held in Hyderabad in December 2019.
"We are expecting a full house as we have already received entries from 23 affiliated units and expect more from a couple of remaining units," Balaji Maradappa, associate vice-president of Rowing Federation of India (RFI), told this daily.
For the second time in the country, the nationals will be held with a traffic light system in place. Races will be held in a four-lane marked course.
Parminder Singh, who recently won a silver medal (single sculls 2000m) on his international debut at the Asian Championships in Thailand, expects to win his first medal in the nationals when the event gets underway.
"I have competed in the nationals in the past but never won a medal. I did well in the Asian Championships and hope to repeat the show. I will be competing in the single sculls (500m and 2000m). Competition will be tough but I hope to finish on the podium," said Parminder.
For the men, the events are single sculls, double sculls, coxless pairs, coxless fours (all in 2000m and 500m). Open double sculls, coxless fours and coxed eights will be held in only 2000m for the men rowers. The first two events will be for civilians only.
For the women, single sculls, double sculls, coxless pairs and coxless fours will be held in 2000m and 500m. Double sculls mixed event (500m) and para-men single sculls (200m and 500m) will also be organised.
Given the situation due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the event will be held in a bio-bubble like environment.
"Participants have to take RT-PCR tests 48-72 hours prior to the start of the championships and will be allowed to enter the bubble only if they return negative. They have to follow Covid appropriate behaviour all the time. We had conducted the junior nationals a fortnight ago and hope to conduct the senior event successfully especially with the support from Indian Army and commanding officer Colonel Sandeep Chahal, who is also the organising secretary," signed off Maradappa.