Sam Melvin Wins U23 World Rowing Championship In Single Sculls
7/29/2019 11:35:00 AM | Women's Rowing, Lightweight Rowing
Two other Lions, Alex Zisimidis and Liza Ray, competed as well with both finishing among the top six boats in the world.
SARASOTA-BRADENTON, Fla. – Columbia Lightweight Rowing senior Sam Melvin, rowing for the United States Under 23 National Team, did not take the easy path, needing a victory in a repechage race to stay in contention, but on Sunday, July 28, Melvin finished first in the Lightweight Men's Single Sculls A final to claim a U23 World Championship at the U23 World Rowing Championships that ran from July 24-28 at Nathan Benderson Park.
"Sam and Alexandros both performed at a high level throughout tough conditions and a truly competitive field," said lightweight rowing head coach Nich Lee Parker. "In addition to the results and the win for Sam, which we are all proud of Sam for, it has also been great to see the student-athletes from the Ivy League and the Eastern Sprints perform well in the small boats. They are all setting a new standard for our league and I'm excited for where both leagues are heading in the near future."
MELVIN'S PATH: Melvin began the week on July 24, rowing in Heat One of the Lightweight Single Sculls, where he finished second with a time of 7:07.77 to be bounced into the repechage race, still with a chance to stay on the path of the A finals. A strong first place performance (7:11.32) by Melvin in the repechage race, competed on July 25, meant that he would move into the A/B semifinal with a shot at competing for a world title.
Needing to finish within the top three of his semifinal race, competed on July 27, in order to advance, Melvin used a photo finish and a strong final 500-meters where he stormed back from fourth place to finish third with a time of 7:03.00, punching his ticket to the A final. In that A final, raced on July 28, Melvin once again needed to come storming back, making his move at the 1,000-meter mark to take first place, a spot he would not give back and after holding off Obbe Durk Tibben from the Netherlands over the final 50 meters, a photo finish and a championship winning time of 7:06.67 gave Melvin the world title.
During the A/B semifinals, Zisimidis finished just ahead of Melvin, coming in second place with a time of 7:02.76 to advance to the A final. In the final Zisimidis finished the 2,000m race with a time of 7:17.60 coming in fifth place, meaning that he leaves the competition as the fifth best boat in the world on the U23 level.
Ray's (U.S.A.) week was slightly different from Zisimidis and Melvin simply because she was rowing in the Lightweight Double Sculls, but much like her Columbia teammates, she would finish the weekend racing the A final and finishing among the six best boats in the world. Racing in Heat Two of the first round Ray, who was paired with fellow American Grace Joyce (Wisconsin), finished second with a time of 7:09.52 to advance to the A final, avoiding the repechage race.
In the A final, Ray and Joyce raced to a sixth-place finish, crossing the line with a time of 7:21.12, making the American pair the sixth best Women's Lightweight Doubles Sculls boat in the world and the top boat among Americans.
2019 U23 WORLD ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS (July 24-28)
Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla. (Nathan Benderson Park)
Day One (July 24)
Men's LWT 1x (Heat One): (1. Rainer Kepplinger, Austria, 6:59.45) 2. Sam Melvin, United States, 7:07.77
Men's LWT 1x (Heat Two): 1. Alexandros Zisimidis, Cyprus, 7:11.32
Day Two (July 25)
Women's LWT 2x (Heat Two): (1. Olsen/Moerch-Pedersen, Denmark, 7:07.82) 2. Liza Ray/Grace Joyce, United States, 7:09.52
Men's LWT 1x (Repechage One): 1. Melvin, 7:11.32
Day Four (July 27)
Men's LWT 1x (Semifinal A/B Two): (1. Obbe Durk Tibben, Netherlands, 7:00.85) 2. Zisimidis, 7:02.76; 3. Melvin, 7:03.00
Day Five (July 28)
Men's LWT 1x (Final A): 1. Melvin, 7:06.67; 5. Zisimidis, 7:17.60
Women's LWT 2x (Final A): (1. Rol/Meakin, Switzerland, 7:03.83) 6. Ray/Joyce, 7:12.12
FOLLOWING THE LIONS: Stay up to date on all things Columbia Rowing by following the Lions on Twitter (@columbiarowing) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).
Melvin, who needed his second straight photo finish to win, finished the 2,000-meter race with a time of 7:06.67 to claim the championship. Joining Melvin over the weekend were two other Lion rowers, sophomore Alexandros Zisimidis (Lightweight) and senior Liza Ray (Women's Rowing), who each reached the A finals, with Zisimidis finishing fifth in the Lightweight Single Sculls and Ray finishing sixth as well in the Lightweight Women's Doubles Sculls, giving Columbia three student-athletes who are among the top six U23 rowers in the world in each student-athlete's respective event.Sam Melvin 🇺🇸 is a.....WORLD CHAMPION!! 🏆 😤😤👏👏
— Columbia Rowing (@columbiarowing) July 28, 2019
A late push from Melvin at the 1,000m mark gives him the 🥇 in the LWT 1️⃣ Sculls 🚣♂️ at the @WorldRowing U23 Worlds. 😤
⌚️ - Melvin: 7:06.67 (1️⃣st)
⌚️ - Zisimidis 🇨🇾: 7:17.60 (5️⃣th)
👇 Highlights 👇#RoarLionRoar pic.twitter.com/4hEda1wowO
"Sam and Alexandros both performed at a high level throughout tough conditions and a truly competitive field," said lightweight rowing head coach Nich Lee Parker. "In addition to the results and the win for Sam, which we are all proud of Sam for, it has also been great to see the student-athletes from the Ivy League and the Eastern Sprints perform well in the small boats. They are all setting a new standard for our league and I'm excited for where both leagues are heading in the near future."
MELVIN'S PATH: Melvin began the week on July 24, rowing in Heat One of the Lightweight Single Sculls, where he finished second with a time of 7:07.77 to be bounced into the repechage race, still with a chance to stay on the path of the A finals. A strong first place performance (7:11.32) by Melvin in the repechage race, competed on July 25, meant that he would move into the A/B semifinal with a shot at competing for a world title.
Needing to finish within the top three of his semifinal race, competed on July 27, in order to advance, Melvin used a photo finish and a strong final 500-meters where he stormed back from fourth place to finish third with a time of 7:03.00, punching his ticket to the A final. In that A final, raced on July 28, Melvin once again needed to come storming back, making his move at the 1,000-meter mark to take first place, a spot he would not give back and after holding off Obbe Durk Tibben from the Netherlands over the final 50 meters, a photo finish and a championship winning time of 7:06.67 gave Melvin the world title.
ZISIMIDIS/RAY FINISH TOP SIX: Along with Melvin's great week, Columbia's Zisimidis and Ray each had strong weeks and weekends as well, with both racing in the A finals of their respective events, placing them among the top six U23 boats in the world. Zisimidis, racing the same event as Melvin and representing his home country of Cyprus, began his week winning Heat Two with a time of 7:11.32 to automatically move into the A/B Semifinals.🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸#RoarLionRoar pic.twitter.com/F1zPPiWOoi
— Columbia Rowing (@columbiarowing) July 28, 2019
In a 📸 finish both Zisimidis 🇨🇾 and Melvin 🇺🇸 move into the A final of the LWT 1️⃣ Sculls 🚣♂️ and are now among the Top 6️⃣ boats in the 🌎. 👀
— Columbia Rowing (@columbiarowing) July 27, 2019
⌚️ - Zisimidis: 7:02.76 (2️⃣nd)
⌚️ - Melvin: 7:03.00 (3️⃣rd)
🔜 Finals (A)
🗓 Sun., July 28
⌚️ 9:50 A.M.
👇 Highlights 👇#RoarLionRoar pic.twitter.com/DACZkvwgUB
During the A/B semifinals, Zisimidis finished just ahead of Melvin, coming in second place with a time of 7:02.76 to advance to the A final. In the final Zisimidis finished the 2,000m race with a time of 7:17.60 coming in fifth place, meaning that he leaves the competition as the fifth best boat in the world on the U23 level.
Ray's (U.S.A.) week was slightly different from Zisimidis and Melvin simply because she was rowing in the Lightweight Double Sculls, but much like her Columbia teammates, she would finish the weekend racing the A final and finishing among the six best boats in the world. Racing in Heat Two of the first round Ray, who was paired with fellow American Grace Joyce (Wisconsin), finished second with a time of 7:09.52 to advance to the A final, avoiding the repechage race.
In the A final, Ray and Joyce raced to a sixth-place finish, crossing the line with a time of 7:21.12, making the American pair the sixth best Women's Lightweight Doubles Sculls boat in the world and the top boat among Americans.
COLUMBIA RESULTSLiza Ray 🇺🇸 finishes the @WorldRowing U23 World Championships as one of the Top 6️⃣ LWT 2️⃣ Sculls 🚣♀️ boats in the 🌎. 👏👏
— Columbia Rowing (@columbiarowing) July 28, 2019
⌚️ - Ray/Joyce: 7:21.12 (6️⃣th)
👇 Highlights 👇#RoarLionRoar pic.twitter.com/lRO1Q97IZB
2019 U23 WORLD ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS (July 24-28)
Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla. (Nathan Benderson Park)
Day One (July 24)
Men's LWT 1x (Heat One): (1. Rainer Kepplinger, Austria, 6:59.45) 2. Sam Melvin, United States, 7:07.77
Men's LWT 1x (Heat Two): 1. Alexandros Zisimidis, Cyprus, 7:11.32
Day Two (July 25)
Women's LWT 2x (Heat Two): (1. Olsen/Moerch-Pedersen, Denmark, 7:07.82) 2. Liza Ray/Grace Joyce, United States, 7:09.52
Men's LWT 1x (Repechage One): 1. Melvin, 7:11.32
Day Four (July 27)
Men's LWT 1x (Semifinal A/B Two): (1. Obbe Durk Tibben, Netherlands, 7:00.85) 2. Zisimidis, 7:02.76; 3. Melvin, 7:03.00
Day Five (July 28)
Men's LWT 1x (Final A): 1. Melvin, 7:06.67; 5. Zisimidis, 7:17.60
Women's LWT 2x (Final A): (1. Rol/Meakin, Switzerland, 7:03.83) 6. Ray/Joyce, 7:12.12
FOLLOWING THE LIONS: Stay up to date on all things Columbia Rowing by following the Lions on Twitter (@columbiarowing) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).
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