Olympic Games Paris 2024: Belarus’ Yauheni Zalaty wins silver in men’s single sculls final
The rower Yauheni Zalaty won a silver medal during the 33rd Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Yauheni Zalaty started competing during the Games exactly a week ago by securing a victory in the preliminary heat. The Belarusian beat the quarterfinal race on 30 July and went to the finals on 1 August after getting the second best time in the semifinal race. Today in the decisive race 500 meters before the finish line Yauheni Zalaty was sixth, but in the final leg of the distance he outpaced almost all his rivals and eventually won silver with a result of 6:42.96. German Oliver Zeidler became the champion while the Dutch rower Simon van Dorp took bronze.
"I didn't expect my rivals to pull out all the stops at the very start. I had to put in maximum effort in the final stretch of the race. I gave it my all. Neither the bus breakdown before the race nor any other circumstances had an impact, I rowed at the top of my game. This is Belarus' first ever Olympic medal in men's rowing. I am beyond happy. I am sending love to my country, and especially to Krasnopolye. I know how they were rooting for me in Mogilev Oblast!" the silver medalist said.
This silver is Belarus’ first Olympic medal in rowing since the Games in Beijing in 2008. Yauheni Zalaty is the first man to win an Olympic medal in this sport in Belarus’ sovereign history. The second place at the Olympics is the main achievement in Yauheni Zalaty’s adult career. Last year the Belarusian athlete was seventh at the world championships. This season he was fifth at the European championships and third at one of the stages of the World Cup.
