Rower ready to roar

long, narrow, and broadly semi-circular in cross-section in order to reduce drag to a minimum.
They usually have a fin towards the rear, to help prevent roll and yaw.
Originally made from wood, shells are now almost always made from a composite material (usually carbon-fibre reinforced plastic) for strength and weight advantages.
It is the second slowest category of racing boat and competitors are recognised by other rowers as among the toughest, both physically and mentally: single sculling is sometimes known as “king’s class”.
Zimbabweans Micheen (pronounced Mike-een) Thornycroft and Jaime Fraser Mackenzie both qualified for the 2012 London Olympic Games at the African Continental Olympic Qualification Regatta in Alexandria, Egypt, in November 2011
Currently Thornycroft is in Switzerland where she is training and competing as a way of preparation for the London Games.
Thornycroft raced over the past weekend at the Rowing World Championships in Lucerne, Switzerland.
“Looking at my draw for the heat and the names and countries entered in the W1x was intimidating to say the least! All of my races went well for me as I was able to learn something from each one, and more about the girls I will be racing with in the future.
“The course is very fast and perfect racing conditions with nice tail wind in the afternoons, (hence the six world record times broken over the weekend) and so I was able to pull some of my best times. My final position was 4th in the B final 10th overall,” Thornycroft said.
This was Thornycroft’s first World Cup event and the standard of racing was incredibly high and it was also the perfect regatta to race in at this point to see where she stands in comparison to the rest of the world.
The girls she raced against are the best on the world and are the ones who she will be lining up against at the Olympics.
This indeed was a reality check and a motivator on the athlete.
As the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee we saw this as a perfect opportunity for Thornycroft’s exposure and hence we did not hesitate to facilitate her travel and the coach’s travel.
We are glad she was motivated and gave her all.
Thornycroft has now moved to Munich, Germany, where she is training with her coach Rachel Davis.
They are staying at the rowing course in the athlete accommodation.
The training facility is good and thus makes the training programme more fruitful.
Thornycroft is in good health and should be fit for the London Games.
She will train in Italy before the Olympic Games: she can no longer train at Mazowe, which is drying up, and Lake Chivero has the danger of crocodiles.
l Anna Mguni is the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee chief executive.