Rowing is a form of boat racing, competed either individually or in teams of upto eight. The sport made its Asian Games debut in 1982 in New Delhi.
The most typical types are sweep or sweep-oar rowing. This is when each rower has one oar, held with both hands. This form of racing involves another team member who steers the boat. They are called coxswain. A race which includes a coxswain is called a coxed race whereas the one without is known as coxless.
The other form of race is known as sculling where each rower has two oars, one in each hand. The major difference between the two is that sculling is done by teams of only upto four.
Ever since it was first brought into the Asiad, China has maintained a dominance in rowing. It has won 98 medals, 92 of which have been gold. The next best nation, Japan, has a haul of 56 medals.
India too has enjoyed success in the competition. In the 1982 New Delhi Games, the team of Pravin Uberoi, Deependra Tomar and Mohammad Amin Naik kicked off India’s tally with a bronze in Coxed Pairs.
The nation’s total haul of 23 medals includes two gold, five silver and 16 bronze. The first gold was won by Bajrang Lal Takhar in 2010 in the Single Sculls, and the second came in the last edition of the Asian Games when Dattu Bhokanal, Sawarn Singh, Om Prakash and Sukhmeet Singh clinched the top place in Quadruple Sculls.
In 2023, India is sending a 33-membr contingent and will hope to improve on its medal tally of three from five years ago.
