THE SPORT OF ROWING NAAO Rowing News, December 1964, Thomas E. Weil Collection 1964 Olympic Single Sculls, Heat Toda Bashi In this photo, Vyacheslav Ivanov has already shut down as Don Spero approaches the finish. Soon Ivanov will have to make an effort to avoid being passed by Alberto Dimiddi of Argentina. “Groen, who led for the first 1,500 meters, finished second in 7:08.02. Spero was third in 7:08.62.”3814 Spero: “Ivanov was smiling broadly. He gave me his shirt. I gave him my shirt. I came back from that race saying, ‘OK, now I know what I have to do.’ “I spent two solid months rowing twice a day. Each workout was six 500-meter pieces. The last three, I would crank it up like the last 500 meters – and it was brutal. It was so hard, and every time I did it, I would think of Ivanov passing me. The Olympic Heat Spero: “We get to Tokyo and my heat had Ivanov and me – flat water, it was perfect conditions.”3815 3814 Ivanov Triumphs in Title Rowing, Associated Press, August 9, 1964 3815 Qtd. by Laura Spero, op. cit. There were four entrants in the heat, Spero, Ivanov, Alberto Dimiddi of Argentina and Satoomi Kasagi of Japan, the latter never being a factor after the first few strokes. Dimiddi took an early lead of a third of a length, but Spero overtook him before the 500. By 750 the American had half a length on both Dimiddi and Ivanov, and by the 1,000 it was a length. As Demiddi then faded from contention, Spero kept opening his lead on Ivanov. Spero: “Five hundred meters to go, I have a quarter-length of open water, and you know, he looks at me and I see this gleam in his eye, like, ‘I’m gonna eat this guy for lunch!’ “My mental image was the water started to froth under his boat. I mean I know that wasn’t happening, but I said, ‘Here he comes.’ “I said, ‘OK, YOU SONOFABITCH, I’LL SEE WHAT I CAN DO!’”3816 3816 Ibid. 1050
