1984 FISA Championships for Juniors– Jonkoping Sweden

1984 Men's Junior Four

Australia's first medal winning junior crew

Selection

This Mercantile Rowing Club crew won the National Junior Four Championship and was adjudged to be of an appropriate standard to compete at the FISA Junior Championships. Andrew Fairfield-Smith from Canberra also gained selection in the same manner.

Racing

All but one of the coxed four and coach hailed from Mercantile Rowing Club and proved to be a potential medal chance finishing fourth in the Match des Seniors regatta. They were a fast starting crew and used this skill to good advantage in all races including the final. In the heat they finished second behind the eventual gold medalists from East Germany. This entitled them to go straight through to the semi final where they finished first ahead of the Soviet crew in second place. In the final the Australians led to the 750 metre mark but were then passed by both the East Germans and Soviet crews. This was the first medal won at the Junior Championships by Australia.

The coach Phil Ainsworth concluded that: "Australia's bronze medal was a fitting reward to the enthusiasm and dedication of the team members especially in light of the injuries and training difficulties they experienced throughout their preparations." The regatta was again dominated by the East German and Soviet crews.

Results – Men

Men's Junior Single Scull

Final: 1st GDR, 2nd SWE, 3rd NED, 4th SUI, 5th HUN, 6th USA

Australia finished last in the petite final.

Men's Junior Double Scull

Final: 1st GDR, 2nd URS, 3rd ITA, 4th GBR, 5th BUL, 6th YUG

Men's Junior Quad Scull

Final: 1st GDR, 2nd URS, 3rd FRA, 4th NED, 5th POL, 6th ITA

Men's Junior Coxless Pair

Final: 1st GDR, 2nd ITA, 3rd FRG, 4th YUG, 5th ESP, 6th HUN

Men's Junior Coxed Pair

Final: 1st ROM, 2nd GDR, 3rd TCH, 4th URS, 5th GBR, 6th USA

Men's Junior Coxless Four

Final: 1st GDR, 2nd FRA, 3rd URS, 4th ITA, 5th GBR, 6th ESP

Men's Junior Coxed Four

Final: 1st GDR 4:37.0, 2nd URS 4:41.1, 3rd AUS 4:43.1, 4th ITA, 5th FRG, 6th YUG

Men's Junior Eight

Final: 1st FRA, 2nd GDR, 3rd URS, 4th USA , 5th ESP, 6th FRG