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Ellina Mhlanga-Senior Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWEAN rowers returned to international competition over the weekend with a bang as Peter Purcell Gilpin scooped a silver medal in Italy. 

He came second at the XXXV Memorial Paolo D’Aloja in Piediluco, Italy, in the A Final, for the Men’s Single Scull (M1x). 

The international regatta, hosted by the Italian Rowing Federation, featured athletes from Belgium, France, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Morocco, Namibia, Tunisia, Zimbabwe and the hosts Italy. 

Zimbabwe had three athletes Gilpin, Andrew Peebles and Stephen Cox, taking part in the competition, which got underway on Friday afternoon. 

After posting good times in the heats, to decide who would compete in the A Final and B Final, the Zimbabwean athletes made it into the A Final. 

And, Gilpin had a good day on Sunday, claiming a silver medal, as his country celebrated its 41st Independence anniversary.

He came second in 7 minutes 23.20 seconds, beating Tunisia’s Mohamed Taieb, into third place. 

Italy’s Gennaro Alberto Di Mauro won the race in 7 minutes 21.22 seconds. 

Going into the final, Gilpin had rowed a blistering time of 7 minutes 01.44 seconds, to finish second in one of the several heats on his way, to the last eight in the A Final.

He set a new Zimbabwe men’s single scull record for the 2 000m Olympic distance. 

Peebles and Cox finished in fourth, and seventh position, in 7 minutes 26.21 seconds and 7 minutes 39.09 seconds, out of the eight rowers, in the A Final. 

Rowing Association of Zimbabwe president, Andrew Lorimer, was impressed with the way the athletes performed in Italy. 

“Extremely pleased with the rowing results from Italy, particularly as this happened on the 41st anniversary of Zimbabwe’s Independence. 

“This was great rowing from our three Zimbabwean rowers, and it was particularly good being achieved in Italy, which is a powerhouse in world rowing. 

“We are very grateful to the Italian Rowing Federation for inviting us to take part in this regatta, which hosted athletes from Italy, Belgium, France, Benin, Cote d’lvoire, Morocco, Namibia, Tunisia and Zimbabwe.

“We are very excited about these results for all the athletes, so soon after the return to international rowing competition. 

“Our athletes have been training extremely hard while international competition has been placed on hold,” said Lorimer. 

The RAZ president said it was encouraging to see not only Zimbabwean athletes doing well, in such international competitions, but African athletes from different countries. 

“It is so good to see the standard of rowing improving on the African continent all the time, with strong performances at this regatta, from Tunisia and from Namibia, with a female athlete from Namibia, Meike Diekman, winning two silver medals. 

“RAZ was particularly pleased with the performance of its athletes as this was the first time they have competed in world-class international competition, since early 2020, and their performances improved in each race they rowed. 

“Well done to our rowers, and to our coaches James Stephenson and Karl Offord. 

“A big thank you to them and also a very big thank you to Emily Brace, the RAZ administrator in the UK, who did so much work for the organisation of the Zimbabwean rowers to be at Piediluco,” said Lorimer. 

He also thanked the Italian Rowing Federation, World Rowing and the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee for assisting the rowers in their endeavor. 

The national association are looking at fielding junior athletes at the South African Championships to take place on May 1 and 2. 

They are also hoping to send athletes to the Under-23 World Championships in Czech Republic in July and the Under-19 World Championships in Bulgaria in August. 

The biggest event for RAZ this year is the Tokyo Olympics where Zimbabwe have qualified for the men’s single scull competition.