Balraj Panwar’s Rowing Journey at Paris 2024 Olympics
Quarter-Final Race
Balraj Panwar finished fifth in his men’s single sculls quarter-final race at the Paris 2024 Olympics, ending his medal hopes. Competing at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium, he needed a top-three finish to advance to the semi-finals A/B but clocked 7:05.10, his best time at Paris 2024, placing him in semi-final C/D.
Top Performers
In quarter-final 4, the top three rowers were Yauheni Zalaty (6:49.27) from the Neutral Athletes team, Lithuania’s Giedrius Bieliauskak (6:51.80), and Japan’s Ryuta Arakawa (6:54.17), who moved on to the semi-final A/B.
Semi-Final C/D Placement
The fastest three rowers from each of the four quarter-finals moved to the semi-finals A/B, while the remaining 12, including Panwar, entered semi-final C/D to compete for places 13 to 24. Panwar will row in the semi-final C/D on Wednesday.
Early Rounds Performance
On Saturday, Panwar finished fourth in heat 1 with a time of 7:07.11, advancing to the repechage rounds. The top three rowers from heat 1 went directly to the quarter-finals, while those finishing fourth to sixth entered the repechage. On Sunday, Panwar clocked 7:12.41 in repechage 2, finishing second and qualifying for the quarter-finals.
Background and Achievements
Panwar, who started rowing four years ago, was India’s sole rowing representative at Paris 2024. He earned his Olympic spot by winning a bronze medal at the Asian and Oceanian Rowing Olympic Qualification Regatta in Chungju, South Korea, in April. He also finished fourth at the Asian Games in Hangzhou last year.
The men’s single sculls quarterfinals will be held on Tuesday – 30th July 2024
Panwar’s journey to the Olympics has been nothing short of inspiring. Hailing from a humble background, he has overcome numerous challenges to represent India on the world’s biggest sporting stage. His resilience and determination have been evident throughout his career, and the nation is behind him as he prepares for the crucial repechage.
On Saturday, Balraj clocked 7:07.11s to finish fourth in the heats, falling behind New Zealand’s Thomas Mackintosh (6:55.92), Stefanos Ntouskos (7:01.79) and Abdelkhalek Elbanna (7:05.06).
The Indian had finished fourth in his heat on Saturday where the top three rowers were guaranteed an automatic spot in the quarterfinals while the rest received another chance via repechage round.
Today, in the repechage round, clocked 7:12.41s to finish second in the repechage round to earn a historic quarterfinal qualification. He will next be in action on July 30.
Personal Life
Balraj Panwar is married and has one child. To support his family financially, he joined the Indian Army as a sepoy and was first posted at the Bengal Engineering Group. He has been preparing for the Olympics at the Army Training Node in Pune since October 2021, training under National coach Ismail Baig and 2008 Olympian Bajrang Lal Takhar.
Personal Information Table
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Balraj Panwar |
| Date of Birth | 26 July 1999 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Place of Birth | Kaimla, Gharaunda, Karnal, Haryana, India |
| Sport | Rowing |
| Event | Men’s Single Sculls |
| Height | 185 cm |
| Weight | 76 kg |
| Family | Married, one child |
| Occupation | Sepoy in the Indian Army |
| Training Location | Army Training Node, Pune |
| Coaches | Ismail Baig, Bajrang Lal Takhar |