THE SPORT OF ROWING In the third round, Bobby was easily leading French opponent Victor Saurin when something broke his concentration. Pearce: “I was racing a Frenchman when I heard wild roars from the crowd along the bank of the canal. I could see some spectators unknown photographer Bobby Pearce, Australia 6’2” 188cm 201lb. 91kg 1928 Olympic Singles Champion 1931 Diamond Sculls Champion 1932 Olympic Singles Champion 1933-1938 World Professional Singles Champion repêchage round, to reduce the field to eight. Knockout rounds would follow until the surviving two rowed for the Gold Medal. Pearce won all of his races with relative ease. He defeated his first opponent, Walter Flinsch of Germany, by 26.0 seconds, around twelve lengths, and his second opponent, Danish rower Arnold Schwartz, by 19.6 seconds, around nine lengths. The Times of London: “Pearce, who was lucky in drawing the lee station [against Schwartz], won as he liked. A blinding rainstorm raged throughout the race. At the 250 metre mark, the Australian was already six lengths ahead of his opponent.”6251 6251 The Olympic Games, The Times of London, August 6, 1928 vigorously pointing to something behind me, in my path. I peeked over one shoulder and saw something I didn’t like, for a family of ducks in single file was swimming slowly from shore to shore. It’s funny now, but it wasn’t at the time for I had to lean on my oars and wait for a clear course, and all the while my opponent was pulling away to a five length lead.”6252 He still won by 29.0 seconds in 7:42.8, a new course record. In his semi-final, Pearce faced David Collett, 185lb. 84kg, of Great Britain, a two-time Boat Race winner for Cambridge. The Times of London: “Pearce completed 23 in the first half-minute, but, with his boat half a length ahead, the Australian eased off and did only 17 in the second half-minute. He then settled down to a steady 30 to Collet’s 32. Finding himself leading comfortably, the Sydney man lengthened out still more at the half-way, and at the same time dropped to 28. “The Australian was sculling with great power, but the old Cambridge president hung on gamely and did not allow his rival to get away until the last 50 yards, when Pearce spurted strongly and slowly increased his advantage to pass the post 6252 http://101olympians.blogspot.com 1740
