THE SPORT OF ROWING In 1967, Wienese placed third in the European Championships behind Achim Hill and Vyacheslav Ivanov, Silver and Gold Medalists respectively at the previous two Olympic Games.3165 Mexico City Wienese’s friend and fellow competitor, West German Jochen Meißner, 5’10” 179cm 174lb. 79kg from Ruderverein Amicitia in Mannheim, was also small for an international single sculler. Meißner began the 1968 Olympic season by winning the Holland Beker for the third time in June. The next major regatta was Lucerne in July. Wienese: “Jochen won with four seconds from me in Luzern Rotsee Regatta 1968.”3166 Meißner went to the Olympics in Mexico City in October as the clear favorite. In the two fastest heats, Meißner won over Alberto Demiddi of Argentina in 7:45.80, while Wienese won over Achim Hill of GDR in 7:44.92. Conditions were ideal, but the 7,316 foot or 2,230m altitude of the Xochimilco course was having a huge impact, with athletes collapsing after and even during the races each day. The conventional wisdom quickly became: “Go out easy, and save your strength.” In Semi-Final 1, Meißner advanced easily behind Hill and ahead of Ken Dwann of Great Britain. Wienese won Semi-Final 2 over Demiddi and John Van Blom3167 of the United States. The Singles Final On finals day, the conditions were again ideal. Wienese was in Lane 4 with Meißner three lanes away in Lane 1. 3165 See Chapter 86. 3166 Wienese, op. cit. 3167 See Chapter 88. Dutch Olympic commentators Theo Koomen and Steven Blaisse: “The scullers got off to a good start. They have already covered 150 meters. At this point, the West German Meißner is clearly in the lead, and Jan Wienese is doing very well in the front group . . . ”3168 Wienese, watching a film of the final with journalist Bob Spaak: “Demiddi combed his hair before the start, one of these jokes to show how calm he was.”3169 “In the lead is Meißner, and I’m close behind him because I was not going to let him get away. I really wanted to beat Meißner. He’d beaten me by six seconds in Luzern.”3170 “And that is something he shouldn’t have done. Nobody should do that because then they know I will beat them the next time.”3171 “I felt I was sculling at half-pressure [in the first half of the race] because of the altitude. The deal was that I would go all out once I reached the 1,000 meter mark. “See? You can tell I’m rowing calmly. I’m amazed myself that I’m rowing like that because in fact I’m exhausted.”3172 “We had agreed that I would go full speed at 1000m, but I noticed that at 75% of my power I could keep up with Meißner.”3173 Meißner crossed the 1,000 meter mark more than half a length in front. He was rowing 32 to Weinese’s 29. Wienese waited ten strokes and then made his move at 31. Within ten strokes he had taken the lead, and 3168 Interview with journalist Bob Spaak, qtd. by Co Rentmeester, de perfecte haal 3169 Interview with journalist Bob Spaak, http://nos.nl/video/113343-wienese-olympisch- kampioen.html, translated from Dutch by Frederick Boulogne. 3170 Spaak, de perfecte haal, op. cit. 3171 Spaak, internet, op. cit. 3172 Spaak, de perfecte haal, op. cit. 3173 Spaak, internet, op. cit. 888
