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Rowing

Tokyo 2020 Events



Rowing is the propelling of a boat using a fixed oar as a lever. In modern sports, rowers race against each other either as individuals or in crews of two, four or eight.

The boat race

Rowing was first used as a means of transport in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. As a sport, it probably began in England in the 17th and early 18th centuries, with the Oxford-Cambridge university boat race, which was inaugurated in 1828. By the 19th century, rowing was popular in Europe and had been exported to America.

Sculling vs sweep

The races are divided into sculling and sweep oar. Sculling events use two oars, whilst in sweep the rower holds one. The eight-person crews have a coxswain, who steers the boat and directs the crew, but in all other boats one rower steers by controlling a small rudder with a foot pedal.

Athlete of the century

Sir Steve Redgrave of Great Britain is widely hailed as the greatest rower ever. A six-time World Champion, he won gold medals at five Olympic Games and has been loosely crowned Athlete of the Century because of the extreme physical demands of rowing. His female counterpart on the gold medal count is Elisabeta Lipa of Romania, who also won five Olympic gold medals between 1984 and 2004.

Olympic history

Rowing has been staged at all the editions of the Olympic Games, except in 1896 in Athens. It was, however, on the programme, but a stormy sea compelled the organisers to cancel the events.
Women made their debut at the Games in 1976 in Montreal. They competed in a smaller programme. The Olympic Games in 1996 in Atlanta marked the introduction of the lightweight events.
Up to the 1960s, the USA dominated Olympic rowing. Then it was the turn of the Soviet Union, which in turn gave up its place in the 1970s-80s to the all powerful GDR (East Germany). These days, the reunified German team is among the best in the world. 

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Gallery

Rowing Women Single Sculls
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Rowing Women Single Sculls

Elin Lindroth SWE celebrates winning the Rowing Womens Single Sculls Round 5 Semifinal A/B 2 at the Diques Puerto Madero, Urban Park. The Youth Olympic Games, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday 10th October 2018.
Joe Toth for OIS/IOC
Rowing Women Single Sculls
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Rowing Women Single Sculls

Tabea Kuhnert GER in action during the Round 5 Semi-final C/D of the Rowing Womens Single Sculls at the Diques Puerto Madero, Urban Park during The Youth Olympic Games, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday 10th October 2018.
Jonathan Nackstrand for OIS/IOC
Rowing - Single Sculls (1x) Men
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Rowing - Single Sculls (1x) Men

Mahe Drysdale of New Zealand looks on while the final result is announced after competing in the Men's Single Sculls Final A on Day 8 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Lagoa Stadium on August 13, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Getty Images
Rowing - Single Sculls (1x) Women
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Rowing - Single Sculls (1x) Women

Bronze medalist Jingli Duan of People's Republic of China celebrates on the podium at the medal ceremony for the Women's Single Sculls on Day 8 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Lagoa Stadium on August 13, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Getty Images
Rowing - Single Sculls (1x) Women
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Rowing - Single Sculls (1x) Women

Silver medalist Genevra Stone of the United States celebrates of America on the podium at the medal ceremony for the Women's Single Sculls on Day 8 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Lagoa Stadium on August 13, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Getty Images
Rowing - Single Sculls (1x) Men
Image Alt Text

Rowing - Single Sculls (1x) Men

Mahe Drysdale of New Zealand looks on while the final result is announced after competing in the Men's Single Sculls Final A on Day 8 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Lagoa Stadium on August 13, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Getty Images
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