Henriques Wins Junior World Championship Title

Hamish Henriques
has won a Junior World Championship title in the men’s pair racing with
Victorian Harrison Fox.

 

The duo – who formed their training
base in Perth in the lead up to worlds – did not lose a race throughout the
regatta and today walked away with a gold medal in Tokyo on the final day of
the 2019 World Rowing Junior Championships.

 

The result was a sweet one for
Henriques, who last year claimed a bronze medal as a member of the men’s four.
His efforts across two junior championships have spurred on even greater future
representative ambitions.

 

“We’ve training for the last two
years to try and achieve this, so it’s a really special moment,” said West
Australian Henriques.

 

“The dream would now be to represent
Australia – both at U23 level and then ultimately at the senior level,” he
added.

 

By virtue of winning their
semi-final, the Australians were drawn in Lane 3, alongside fellow A-Final
favourites, Germany.

 

The Australians, who are coached by WAIS
rowing program coach Jamie Hewlett, were first to show their hand and they opened
a narrow lead in the first split, with the German partnership of Paul Krueger
and Aaron Erfanian holding firm behind, while Italy’s Matteo Sartori and Nicolo
Carucci were in third.

 

By the halfway mark, Henriques and
Fox were clear out in front, leaving it to Germany and Italy to duke it out for
silver and bronze.

 

As the crews approached the final 250
metres, Australia upped their rating to 39 to hold off a late challenge from
Germany who in turn were trying to get ahead of Italy.

 

Australia went to 41 strokes to cross
the line and take gold, while Germany took silver and Italy bronze.

 

In other WA
results:

 

Johnson Daubney and Alexander Rossi joined the Australian
men’s coxed four crew and earned an A-Final appearance where they raced to an
impressive fifth place finish.

 

The Australian crew finished behind world
champions Germany, with South Africa in second, whilst China secured bronze
ahead of Ireland.

Riley Rees-Turner and Duke Gordon were members of the
Australian men’s four crew that claimed a ninth place finish overall.

 

Gordon raced in bow, with Rees-Tuner
in seat two as the Aussies took third place in the B-Final. The Junior title
was claimed by Germany.

 

Whilst in the women’s junior double
scull, WA’s Clare Netherway and Sophie Houston won the D-Final, clear of
Mexico. The world championship title went to the Netherlands.

 

Photo: (C) Rowing Australia