Monash's Mitch fends off Brits' comeback to be crowned rowing World Champion
The crew had to fend off a last minute sprint
to the line from Great Britain, beating the rival team by just 0.09 seconds, in
a time of 6 minutes and 10 seconds. Italy were close behind, finishing barely
more than half a second later to take the bronze.
The finish was so tight that Mitch, who studies
a Bachelor of Science, said the Aussies thought they may have been caught at
the line.
“I had a look across when we crossed the line,
and I saw Great Britain, and they were all cheering and celebrating. So I had a
moment of ‘oh no, I think we got run down’, but I was pretty sure that we’d won
because I finished in front of their bowman,” he said.
“The umpire boat came up to us to see if we
were alright, and we were all calling out to them asking them who’d won. And then
they pointed at us, that’s when we knew.”
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| The Aussies celebrate their narrow victory over Great Britain and Italy (also pictured). Mitch is the bowman, sitting closest to the front of the boat. Picture: supplied. |
Knowing they would struggle to gain speed
towards the end of the race in the heavier boat class, Mitch said the crew’s
tactic was to reach maximum speed early and try to maintain it for longer than
everyone else.
“We knew they had fast finishes, so we had to
have a fast mid race… and make sure they couldn’t catch us,” he said.
“You haven’t raced any of these guys before, so
the whole time you’re unsure of where you stand. You’re full of anxiety, and
you’re training three, sometimes four, times a day, so you’re hoping that it’s
worth it.
“It was all pretty awesome, I guess in a way it’s
pretty surreal. It’s strange that I don’t feel any better necessarily, but now
I have this title behind my name.”
Following an extensive selection process
beginning last year, Mitch, who trains with Mercantile Rowing Club, was selected
not only to compete in the Coxed Four event, but also to represent the country
in the Men’s Eight.
The Men’s Eight placed sixth overall at the
event, and faced an exciting finish in the repechage. After finishing last in
the heat, the crew knew they had to place top two in the repechage to make
finals, but were racing against strong teams such as Canada and Germany.
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| Mitch raced each day of the regatta, alternating between competing for the Men's Eight and the Coxed Four. Picture: supplied. |
Mitch said the Aussies’ were coming third for
most of the race and were about three quarters of a length behind Canada (in
second place) with 500 metres to go, but were able to close the distance and
beat them by less than a second to secure their spot in the final.
“I know that that crew especially had only been
together for a few months, so we were super excited to make the eight final for
that one,” he said.
“It was definitely exciting, because this whole
season for me has just been really close racing. So I guess to come out to
represent Australia was something that was just amazing. Then to have a good
result at the World Champs was just the cherry on top.”
The event was held from July 24 to 28, in the
height of the humid Florida summer, so Mitch said his endurance was tested by
having to race and train daily for the two events.
“It was tough, because even when it was meant
to be your rest period during the regatta so you’d freshen up before your race,
I was rowing on the water three times a day,” he said.
“I think it’s really tiring because when you do
your race you’re really performing outside of what you’re able to do. You really
have to exhaust yourself.”
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| All but one of Mitch's (pictured right) World Champion team mates were representing Australia for the first time. Picture: supplied. |
Mitch took up rowing in high school at age 15, following
in the footsteps of his dad, Warwick Hooper, who also studied at Monash
University.
Warwick was a member of the 1992 Olympic rowing
squad, a multiple Australian and Victorian Rowing Champion, and represented
Australia at the 1990 World Championships, among other achievements.
Mitch is also hoping to continue representing
Australia at international competitions, and will be vying for a spot on the
Australian team at the 2020 U23 World Championships and Open World Championships.
But for the next week or so though, he said he will
be taking a well-earned break.
“It’s kind of hard to do when I just want to
get back into it, because it’s all pretty motivating.”
“When I got back here, the level that I row at
now after rowing at the World Championships is I think at a higher standard. I
definitely think I’m a better athlete because of it.”
“You just go faster, you just seem a little bit
better than you did before.”
Keep it up Mitch, fingers crossed you can steal
your old man’s title as the number one Hooper rower!
Written by Nell O’Shea Carre, Media
Coordinator.
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