SARASOTA – The Olympic Trials for U.S. Rowing enters its third day with the races heating up in the quarterfinal rounds.
But only one team representing the Suncoast advanced to Thursday’s semifinals. But that doesn’t the journey ends for the local athletes who made it this far.
Harrison Scofield is no stranger to big competition…in Tokyo in 2019 he stroked the Men’s 8 to a second-place finish, that U-19 Team, among the first ever to try out the course ahead of the 2021 Olympic Games.
And hoping for a ticket back, this week he rowed the Lightweight Men’s Double in the Olympic Trials
“To get the spot, to got to Lucerne would be the dream. I’ve been looking at Lucerne for years,” said Harry. “All through my high school and middle school rowing that’s the ultimate goal. to try get to Lucerne and to get to the Olympic in Tokyo.
Schofield made it through to the reps…and on Wednesday just missed the semifinals with his partner Kory Rogers by 5 seconds..
They had hoped to keep moving on in the competition, but were thrilled to be able to just compete again after the pandemic shut almost everything down
“It’s very special to me. To be able to race with my family and my friends all on the sidelines watching me,” said Harry. “But also to have these amazing athletes around me, it’s unreal.”
Schofiled is taking a gap year at Harvard and is coaching Sarasota Crew’s Men’s Varsity Team while training.
His mother says the local support for the athletes has been great , and rowing this level of competition in his own backyard makes it even better,
“It’s kinda fun getting to see them getting to beat this level,” said Traci Schofiled.
For Schofiled, a National Champion already, and seasoned with international success, this competition is now another experience that will keep the competitive fire burning.
And as for what’s next, he and his doubles partner Kory, will team up with the local doubles team of Malakai Leon and Marlon Bayer in a quad and head to Mexico in May for the Pan-American games trials
Again Schofield, Rogers, Leon and Bayor will head to Mexico now in may and hopefully place well enough there to head to Columbia for the actual pan-am games in September.
