Cardiff rower misses out on Olympic chance

A Cardiff rower has narrowly missed an ideal opportunity to further his Olympic hopes.

Zak Lee-Green, a 21-year-old athlete from Carmarthen who learnt to row at Llandaff Rowing Club, came 7th in the recent Great Britain rowing trials.

The event, which took place at Dorney Lake, in Slough last weekend is the most recent test the athletes must overcome if they want to represent Great Britain in the Olympic Games in London this summer.

Lee-Green, who currently studies at Manchester University and rows for Agecroft Rowing Club was competing in the lightweight men?s single scull and was up against some high profile names.  He finished first in the ?B? Final, which places him 7th overall.

In order to even race as lightweight, you must first weigh in at under 72.5kgs to establish a level playing field across the board.  In this discipline, greater emphasis is put on smooth technique rather than out and out power and lightweights are often amongst the fittest in the squad.

Britain has a great track record in the event and currently have the reigning Olympic champions in the men?s lightweight double which Zach Purchase and Mark Hunter won in Beijing.  They also have a lightweight four that has won several of the last World Cup races. Whichever atheletes are selected, they  will start as favourites to win what is hotly tipped to be the most closely fought race of the programme.

In coming 7th, Lee-Green has successfully beaten some talented opposition and has done his rowing credentials a world of good.  He is now almost certain to be in the frame for the u23 team which is announced at the end of July.

He has  already tasted life at this level when he got a bronze medal in 2010 in the u23 lightweight men's quad.

Unfortunately, his hopes of making the senior team are now remote.  Although they are arguably the strongest rowing nation in the world, Great Britain only send 6 lightweight male athletes to the Games.  They compete in the lightweight four and the lightweight double.

Lee-Green came 7th in the time trial at the beginning of the day which placed hm in the secod tier final against some of his fellow u23 athletes.  He produced a strong race and won by a 3 second margin.

Although he won the 'B' Final, there were some notable names missing including Purchase and Hunter, who were missing through injury and illness respectively.

The venue is the same one that will be used this summer to host the Rowing at the Olympics.  It is a familiar scene to Lee-Green and the other athletes as it is one of two main host venues to all British National and international events.

Although he has missed out in qualifying this year, at 21 he has a bright future and is a name to watch out for in Rio 2016.