WINDSOR, England (AP) — “You can do it,” roared the announcer at Dorney Lake. Some in the crowd were standing, urging him to the line.
No, this wasn’t a British rower sprinting for gold. This was Hamadou Djibo Issaka, crawling to the finish in last place Sunday in a single sculls repechage.
Djibo Issaka is 35 years old and from Niger in west Africa. He learned how to row only three months ago but received a wild card to the Olympics to “strengthen the principle of universal representation.”
With less-than-impressive technique and his tank almost empty, he slumped as he crossed the line. His time was 8 minutes, 39.66 seconds — nearly 1 minute, 40 seconds behind the winner.
