Olympic Evolution: Number 4 - Rowing

Ground rules: There are two kinds of rowing events. In sculling each rower pulls two oars (sculls). In sweep events each rower pulls one oar.

Size doesn't always count: There were no rowing events in the 1886 games but by the turn of the century it had become a consistent part of the Olympic repertoire of sports. In 1900 the course was 1,750 metres long, in 1904 it increased to 3,218 metres and in 1908 became 2,414 metres. In 1948 it changed to 1,883 metres and in 1906 the courses varied. But on all other occasions, including this year, the course will be 2,000 metres long.

Hollywood glitz: Jack Kelly won single and double sculls gold medals for the United States in 1920 and 1924. Kelly had two illustrious offspring. John junior, his son, competed in four Olympic games while his daughter, Grace Kelly became a cinema actress before becoming the princess of Monaco.

Melt down: In 1956 Russian Vyacheslav Ivanov beat Australian Stuart Mackenzie in a late burst to win his first gold medal. Mackenzie was the only medallist known to earn a living as a chicken sexer while Ivanov was the first sculler to win three gold medals in a row. In his 1960 win in Rome, Ivanov went over the finish line unconscious, not knowing that he had won.

Irish challenge: In 1948 an Irish crew first dipped their toes in the Olympic shark pool. The eight-man boat came third in the heats of round one and came second in the repechage. It was the beginning of a strong Irish challenge, particularly in latter years.

Big pull: It was not until 1972 that another Irish face was seen at an Olympic regatta when Sean Drea arrived in Munich to compete in the single sculls. Drea arrived with a strong reputation and finished seventh overall. Four years later and after a near fatal kidney failure at the World Championships in Lucerne in 1974, the Carlow man travelled to Montreal. In the first semi-final in Canada Drea crossed the finish line just eight seconds short of seven minutes, shattering the record over 2,000 metres. But the final was less rewarding as Drea was beaten out of the medal positions when he cracked in the third quarter of the race and was pushed into fourth position, the greatest disappointment of his career.

Others: Also in Montreal were the coxed four of Willie Ryan, James Muldoon, Christopher O'Brien, Michael Ryan and Liam Redmond and a coxless four of Martin Feeley, Iain Kennedy, Jay Renehan and Andrew McDonough.

Summer and winter: In 1980 Pat McDonagh was in a coxed four which came fifth in the little final, having come fourth in heat one. In 1988 he was back in the coxed pairs and came fifth in the repechage. McDonagh then made it to a third Olympic games with athlete Terry McHugh when they teamed up for the two-man bobsleigh. McDonagh was the driver and McHugh the brake man.

Latest waves: In 1992 lightweight sculler Niall O'Toole went to Barcelona suffering from a bout of hepatitis contracted earlier in the year and he was asked to compete against the heavyweights of the sport. He was the world champion in his category but his weight handicap and illness was too much of a burden an he finally finished third in the repechage, missing out on the semi-finals. In Atlanta the lightweight four of Derek Holland, Sam Lynch, Neville Maxwell and Tony O'Connor provided another near miss for Irish rowing when they finished fourth at lake Lanier. The Irish crew led early and controlled the middle of the race but the experienced Danes came from behind to push Canada into second, the US into third and Ireland once again out of the medals.

Sydney: Neville Maxwell and Tony O'Connor are joined by Neal Byrne and Gearoid Towey in the lightweight four.