World Rowing reports that the qualification for the Olympics 2021 in Tokyo has been concluded. Eighty countries will participate at the Olympic rowing event which will take place from the 23rd July to the 30th July at the Sea Forest Waterway in Tokyo. 80 countries will participate! That’s a new record and 11 more than in Rio.
The number of countries participating in the qualification decreased. While for Rio 2016 116 countries competed, it were only 106 for Tokyo 2021. Mainly, due to the pandemic and travel restrictions. However, the number of participants is a new record. And now the number of participants is finalised. New to the Olympic rowing community: Athletes from Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Benin, Ivory Coast, Namibia, Morocco, Sudan and Saudi-Arabia.

Record despite the difficult circumstances

Due to the pandemic and travel restrictions many regattas have been cancelled. Or it was just difficult or impossible for athletes to get there.
Now the teams have time until the 5th of July enter their participants. And after the approval by their  National Olympic Committees, they will be officially announced. For the Paralympics the deadlines are different. The qualification process will be finished Mid-July.
Tokyo is a pioneer in many ways and above all one has to be mentioned here specifically. Tokyo 2021 will be the first Olympics with gender equality for the athletes –  263 athletes of each gender will compete in our most favourite sport.
In about a month the rowing event of the Olympics in Tokyo will finally start. And the 5 year wait is finally over…