Indian rowers face tough task in London Olympics

Set for their fourth Olympics in a row, the Indian rowers face a tough test but would look to show that they do not just make up the numbers in the London Games beginning July 27.

India have qualified two boats with up to three rowers. The strapping 23-year-old Punjab boy, Swarn Singh Virk qualified in the men's single sculls (M1X), while Manjeet Singh and Sandeep Kumar made the cut in the lightweight men's double sculls (LM2X) after staving off stiff competition in the Asian Olympic qualifiers at Chung Ju, Korea in April.

In a blow to Indian hopes, 2010 Asian Games gold medallist Bajrang Lal Takhar failed to qualify for London in men's single sculls, losing out to Virk in the qualifiers.

The rowers said they were ready for a 'tough test' against some of the best in the world but would not give themselves realistic chances of winning medals in London.

London will be Manjeet's second appearance in the Olympics, having rowed in the same event at the 2008 Beijing Games. This is the fourth time in a row Indian rowers have qualified for Olympics.

"We are very proud that for the fourth time Indian rowers have qualified for the Olympics. The rowers are training really hard in Hyderabad and I am sure that India will make its presence felt at the Games," said M V Sriram. secretary-general of the Rowing Federation of India.

The Indians, who will continue to train at the Hussain Sagar Lake in Hyderabad till their departure for London on July 17, know that there was a huge gap between them and the traditional rowing powerhouses from Europe and North America.

Rowing competitions at the London Olympics are scheduled to be held from July 28 to August 4 at Eton Dorney Rowing Centre at Dorney Lake near Windsor Castle.

The women rowers came close to qualifying for London Games but could not make the cut in the qualifiers in Korea.