THE sport that provided seven Tasmanians for the London Olympics will have just one in Rio de Janeiro.
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On another disappointing day for the state’s Olympic aspirations, the crews of Georgia Nesbitt and Meaghan Volker both failed to qualify, leaving fellow Hobartian Kerry Hore as the sole Tasmanian in the Australian rowing team for Brazil.
The setback came on the back of Launceston’s under-23 triathlon world champion Jake Birtwhistle missing selection to Rio.
Along with Hore, Hobart’s national javelin champion Hamish Peacock is the only other Tasmanian to satisfy the Olympic selection criteria although the state’s Rio quota should rise when other sports name their teams, particularly hockey and cycling.
Launceston trampoline gymnast Jack Penny and Frankford weightlifter Jenna Myers are also contesting Olympic selection events this week, in Melbourne and Fiji respectively.
Nesbitt, 24, of Huon, and Volker, 25, of Buckingham, faced tall orders at the final Olympic qualification regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland.
Both needing their crews to finish in the top two to progress to Rio, Volker’s women’s eight missed out by one spot, while Nesbitt’s lightweight double failed to reach the final.
Although 34-year-old Hore, of Huon, is set to become the first Australian woman to compete at four Olympics, the lack of fellow Tasmanians is a contrast to her previous campaigns.
Hore was one of seven Tasmanians in both London and Beijing and six in Athens.
The sport has also provided a regular supply of podium finishers for the state with Tasmanian rowers claiming medals at each of the past four Olympics including Hore’s bronze in Athens.
Scott Brennan (2008 gold), Stephen Hawkins (1992 gold), Simon Burgess (2000 and 2004 silvers), Darren Balmforth (2000 silver), Kate Hornsey (2012 silver) and Hore’s crewmate Dana Faletic (2004 bronze) have also claimed medals for the state.
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