JAKE Green, of Tuks, has made it into the South African team for the World Rowing Championships in Bulgaria.
UNIVERSITY of Pretoria (Tuks) athlete Jake Green has defied the odds to secure a place on the South African team for the World Rowing Championships.

The event will be held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria and will begin on Sunday.

In October, as the rowers were starting the build-up to the race, Green was diagnosed with compartment syndrome in his right arm. It meant that while rowing, the blood pumping into his arm was not pumped back again, which led to his arm becoming swollen and painful. As a result, he required surgery and was able to resume training only in April.

The 2016 Olympic finalist will team with Lawrence Brittain (Tuks), an Olympic silver medallist, to row in the men’s pair.

“In the time Lawrence and I did not train, the younger guys became significantly faster. I ascribe it to pure passion.

“In rowing, talent does not count for that much. In South Africa, we only have a few unique rowing phenomenas. As for the rest of us, we are, at most, uniquely gifted rowers. Lawrence and I are not the most talented guys, we are just the guys who want it the most” said Green.

“What I love about rowing is that there is always a lot of data available as to who makes the boat go faster. To me, this creates a noble drive always to strive to be the best you can ”

Green sits in the stroke seat, which means he has to set the rhythm. He said it can be challenging. “I tend to think a lot during the race, mostly about making sure my technique is correct and calculating as to whether we are fast enough.”

The South African crews that will take part in the race are Vaughn Botes and Nicholas Oberholzer (lightweight men’s double sculls), Mmbudzeni Masutha (men’s single sculls), Green and Brittain (men’s pair), David Hunt, Kyle Schoonbee, John Smith, Sandro Torrente (men’s fours), Kirsten McCann and Nicole van Wyk (women’s lightweight double sculls). African News Agency (ANA)