The most exciting, difficult thing you could ever do.
That’s how Team Australia co-captain Able Seaman Taryn Dickens describes indoor rowing, one of the sports contested on day three of the Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023.
While it’s an ultra-intensive sport, it’s one in which the Aussies have dominated at Düsseldorf.
A team of 13 competitors smashed all expectations at the Merkur Spiel-Arena, competing in the four-minute endurance and one-minute sprint events in a range of categories, where each rower competed on rowing ergometers, simulating the sequence of movements for rowing on land.
Women’s IR6 competitor, Laura Reynell, was one of the Australians flexing her strength and endurance despite carrying a leg injury.
“From about halfway down my shin, I can’t feel anymore,” she said.
“It started spasming with the more exertion I put on it. Pretty much every time I take a step it’s like a knife driving through the base of it.”
Despite being “wracked with nerves” and in pain, Laura set herself a target in the four-minute endurance event and managed to surpass it.
“My leg is spasming pretty bad so all I wanted to do was to get over 1000 metres and I got 1043, so that’s a PB for how I am at the moment, definitely.”
Laura was pipped at the post for third position and a bronze medal in the event but managed to pick up the bronze in joint-third placing during her women’s IR6 one-minute sprint, clocking up 302m for equal third.
The medal ceremony was a proud Aussie moment with teammate and friend, Erin Brigden, taking out first place with 316m in front of Brooke Mead in second on 311m. Other Aussies in the field of 42 included Alex Jay 284m and Francine Dudfield 278m.
Erin also took out first place in the women’s IR6 four-minute endurance event, finishing with 1091m. As well as Laura’s 1043m, Alex ticked over 973m and Danielle Hale clocked 899m.
One of the day’s heroes was Able Seaman Dickens, who took top spot on the podium twice. Racing in the women’s IR5 four-minute endurance, she blew the competition away with 1029m and did the same again in the women’s IR5 one-minute event, covering 305m.
“Today felt incredible,” Able Seaman Dickens said about her two golds.
“The Invictus Games are different in that you don’t actually know who you’re up against so you can’t prepare for that. But that’s also good because it’s not about winning, it’s not about the competition. It’s just about doing your best.
For Laura, Invictus is all about growth and making connections, citing the hug with her teammates at the end of the four-minute race as her favourite moment of the day.
“I don’t really like the spotlight,” she said.
“I much prefer being in a team. So in a sport where you’re on your own, having all your girlfriends beside you is the best.
“You do feel like you’re in a team. You vibe off each other’s energy and we all hopped up and gave each other a hug. It was reassuring that we were all in it together, no matter where we came.”
The men didn’t disappoint either, and you couldn’t wipe the golden grin off Andrew Tebbit’s face following his bronze win in yesterday’s wheelchair rugby game.
Backing up this morning, Andrew blazed into the day in the men’s IR7 four-minute endurance, hitting 1057m and taking out first place and a gold medal.
Later in the day, he backed the gold up with the medal he was missing from the set – scoring a silver in the men’s IR7 one-minute sprint with a distance of 326m.
In the men’s IR6 four-minute endurance, a field of 75 competitors battled it out, with Michael topping the Aussie men with 1190m, Karl Woodward 1151m, Adam Slot 1150m and Shaun Hillman 1053m.
The men’s IR6 one-minute sprint event saw another huge field of about 90 competitors across four groups, with Michael finishing fourth with 327m, Karl 343m, Shaun 338m, Adam 337m and Craig Ball 336m.
Meanwhile, in the wheelchair basketball, Team Australia faced Team Unconquered 1 in the morning but weren’t able to get the upper hand, finishing four points behind with an 8-4 scoreline at full-time after being tied 2-2 at half-time.
The Aussies rebounded back with a win during the second preliminary round match against Canada in the afternoon.
Team Australia led 6-2 after the first period, increasing their advantage to 10-2 after the second. At the end of the third and final period, the Australians had extended their lead to 14-4.
Team Australia will now meet the UK and Ukraine tomorrow morning before the wheelchair basketball semi-finals and finals are held later in the afternoon.
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