After a year of training and trials, a Wits Boat Club member finally made it to Poland for the World University Championships
A WITS University Boat Club rower has just returned from Poland where he represented South Africa at the World University Championships.
Postgraduate management student, Sascha Dubrovo, was the only Witsie among the nine University Sports South Africa rowers selected for the championships where 27 nations across six continents were represented. His team of lightweight men’s coxless four was placed sixth in the final, which was won by the hosts.
“Poland was awesome! It was so great to row on a world class professional rowing course,” said Dubrovo.
“The other teams were very strong, and racing against them really opened my eyes to what international racing is like, and how fast it is,” said Dubrovo.
In addition to the rowing, Dubrovo relished the opportunity to be in another country, as he had only been overseas once before.
“It was interesting to see the differences between their [Polish] culture, ours, and the other countries that were there,” said Dubrovo.
He set his sights on the event as far back as 2015 and took part in various trial events since then to make the cut.
“The club is extremely proud of Sascha on making the USSA squad,” said Sloane Steinhobel, Wits Boat Club president. “He started training for the tour at the end of last year, and he’s definitely put in the time to make it.”
After arriving home on Monday morning, Dubrovo was given no opportunity to rest as he and the Wits Boat Club team left for the RMB Boat Race in Port Alfred, Eastern Cape, where he’ll be thinking about his future in the sport.
“From what we’ve heard there isn’t going to be a student games or World University Champs next year, so I’m thinking of training to potentially make the senior team for world champs next year,” said Dubrovo.
RELATED IMAGES:
Wits Vuvuzela, “Wits rowers set sights on Poland”, May 2016
