They duly won their pairs heat to progress directly to the semifinals on Tuesday and then were part of the NZ women’s eight which won their heat in dramatic fashion with a surging finish to seal an automatic place in Friday’s final. “It didn t phase us too much,” Gowler said after the eights heat. “We ve done two races in a day multiple times, so I think we were almost happy that we ll have another extra day off.” Prendergast and Gowler are the defending world champions – from 2019 – in the pair and were also part of the Kiwi women’s eight which also won gold in Austria two years ago at the last rowing worlds champs to be held before the Tokyo Olympics.
Tokyo Olympics day two: Your guide to the Kiwis in action on Sunday, July 25
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Comfortable start for NZ rowers in Tokyo
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The New Zealand rowing squad has enjoyed a successful opening day at the Tokyo Olympics with all bar one directly qualifying for the quarter or semi-finals.
Emma Twigg and Jordan Parry both comfortably advanced to the quarterfinals of their respective single sculls events with Twigg winning her heat and Parry finishing second in his. Parry gained selection ahead of two time Olympic champion Mahe Drysdale.
Twigg told
Sky Sport she was pleased to simply be back racing after a year and a half away. It s been a long time coming and it was certainly a bit off a lung buster. certainly a few nerves as the Olympics is a special event but I guess it s a good thing that we experience nerves because you know it means something, she said.