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Olympics: Germany's Oliver Zeidler wins gold in rowing

August 3, 2024

Zeidler's gold medal is the third Germany has thus far collected in the Paris Olympics.

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Oliver Zeidler, of Germany, poses with the gold medal in the men's single sculls rowing
Zeidler, whose family has a strong Olympic rowing history, poses with the gold medalImage: Ebrahim Noroozi/AP/picture alliance

German rower Oliver Zeidler has earned his country its third gold medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics, winning the men's single sculls rowing competition on Saturday.

The 28-year-old world champion snatched the delayed men's race, competing against independent neutral athlete Yauheni Zalaty from Belarus and Dutch rower Simon van Dorp.

The delay was due to traffic congestion that prevented the athletes from reaching the competition venue on time, Olympic officials said.

"That is what I had to work for during the last three years with a lot of sweat and tears. It feels incredibly good to have the gold medal in my hand here now," Zeidler told German broadcaster ZDF.

Zeidler's father and trainer Heino Zeidler described the win as "surreal. I can't believe it. That was the consummation — a perfect day." 

The athlete switched from swimming to rowing in 2016. Born in the Bavarian town of Dachau, Zeidler comes from a family of gold-medal-winning rowers. His grandfather Hans-Johann Färber won gold in Munich in 1972, while his aunt Judith Zeidler won with the East German eights rowing team at the 1988 Games in Seoul. His sister Marie won medals at 2016 and 2017 World Rowing Junior Championships.

rmt/rc (dpa, Reuters)