Rob Waddell. Photo / Sarah Ivey
Rowers Rob Waddell and Nathan Cohen have been named to man the double sculls for New Zealand at the Beijing Olympic Games.
The New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) confirmed Rowing NZ had tendered its nomination today after nearly two weeks of deliberation.
Olympic selectors were satisfied that Rowing
New Zealand's nomination process was robust, transparent and fair, NZOC secretary general Barry Maister said.
" This is an exciting new team," Maister said.
" We are confident that Rowing New Zealand have put forward the right names and we have every confidence that this crew has real medal potential."
The decision to go with Waddell comes at the expense of Matthew Trott, who qualified with Cohen for an Olympics double sculls berth by finishing 6th at the world championships in Munich last September.
Trott admitted this month the chances of his combination with Cohen remaining for the Olympics was slim.
"We may still go but we're not holding out hope that we'll be the combination."
He said it was hard for selectors to leave an athlete of Waddell's ability out.
Maister said Trott was a talented champion sweep oarsman as well as crew sculler and was included as the men's squad spare man.
Selectors said following medical consultation, the irregular heart beat problem which ended Waddell's challenge for the single sculls spot was no longer considered a significant issue by either the New Zealand Olympic Committee or Rowing New Zealand.
Waddell was the Sydney 2000 Olympic single scull champion.
Today's announcement brings the Olympic rowing team to a total of eleven men and five women.
Beijing 2008 will be the 16th Olympic Games at which a New Zealand rowing team has competed.
The first was 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium, when Darcy Hadfield won a bronze in the single sculls event.
- NZPA
