Women’s Eight Gold Highlights Local Rowers in Rio

After several days of delays and postponements, the rowing events finally finished Saturday, highlighted by the American women’s eight team dominating yet again, headlined by several local rowers.

Emily Regan of Buffalo, Amanda Polk of Pittsburgh, Megan Musnicki of Naples and Lauren Schmetterling of Moorestown all were part of the coxed eight rowing team, that dominated on their way to winning America’s third straight gold medal in the event. The team has won every single world championship and Olympic title since 2006, and this race only cemented their domination. They bested silver medalists Great Britain and bronze medalists Romania by over two seconds. Musnicki took home her second gold medal as part of the team, and Regan and Schmetterling each earned their first.

The men’s eight was almost able to replicate the women’s success, but they fell just short of the podium. The team was headlined by local rowers, Stephen Kazpryzyk of Cinnaminson, NJ, Sam Ojserkis of Linwood, NJ, Glenn Ochal of Philadelphia, and Austin Hack of Old Lyme, CT. For the second straight Olympics, the men’s team finished in fourth place, just right outside of the medal contention. Kazpryzyk was part of the fourth place in the same event in the 2012 Olympics, marking another disappointment for him. The squad finished only

Earlier in the men’s coxless four, Tyler Nase Phoenixville, PA as part of the Unite States team finished fourth place in Final B, finishing tenth overall in the field. Nase and company weren’t expected to win a medal in the event, and didn’t surprise many with their performance. They raced a strong final, only one second away from beating a traditionally strong German team.

It was a solid, albeit unspectacular games for local rowers in the games. The women’s eight were a basic lock to win the gold for the third straight games, with most every other team being a long shot to make the podium. Only the eight, and one women’s single sculls racer won medals, with many other teams falling just shy. The only local medalists however, where part of the eight, in Emily Regan, Amanda Polk, Megan Musnicki and Lauren Schmetterling. With still one of their best showings in recent Olympics, United States rowing seems to be in a good position going forward.