NIGER ROWER WINS HEARTS OF FANS AT LONDON 2012

WINDSOR, England — “You can do it,” screamed the announcer. Some in the packed grandstands were on their feet, roaring him to the line.

After hearing the finishing horn, he slumped over in his boat, totally spent. After a few seconds, he lifted his head and saluted the crowd, a grin as wide as all Dorney Lake.

No, this wasn’t a British rower in a race for Olympic gold in front of his home fans. This was Hamadou Djibo Issaka, crawling to the finish in last place 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 and has a technique that can generously be described as crude.

Full story here.

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5. merrilydownthestream reblogged this from secretlivesofrowers and added:

   Truly inspiring.

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15. hannah-untold reblogged this from crewprobz and added:

    This was so awesome. He’s wonderful.

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    Damn.

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    i love this story

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25. boundforbeantown said: It was actually someone from Niger, not Nigeria, so they would be called a NigeriEn not a NigeriAn. Just a friendly FYI. :-)
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