Finding reps through repechage, Canadian rowers eye Paris podiums despite smaller team

Three years after naming the largest Canadian Olympic rowing team in 25 years with 29 athletes at Tokyo 2020, just 11 rowers represent Team Canada at the Paris 2024 Games.

That's no bother to Jill Moffat, 31, and Jennifer Carson, 28, the lone Canadian boat in the women's double lightweight sculls and one of Canada's two boats alongside the women's eight.

After finishing 12th at Tokyo 2020, the duo turned to coach Jeremy Ivey, of St. John's, N.L., and now find themselves in Thursday's semifinal despite challenges along the way. They missed automatic qualification in their opening heats on Sunday and were forced to qualify through Monday's repechage round.

"It's the Olympic Games, and we don't treat this like it's just another race," Moffat said after the opening heats. "We have a lot of confidence overall with all of the work we've done at our training camps in the lead-up to Paris."

In the repechage, they rowed the distance in seven minutes, 16.81 seconds, finishing second behind Ireland's Aoife Casey and Margaret Cremen.

Rower Jill Moffatt, along with a roster of fellow athletes, has founded MOMentum, an online platform which will house resources regarding pregnancy, postpartum, egg freezing, IVF, carding policy updates, and legal support<a href="https://t.co/aSMDHchuTU">https://t.co/aSMDHchuTU</a> <a href="https://t.co/4EwMqGYN3r">pic.twitter.com/4EwMqGYN3r</a>

Casson and Moffat clinched their spot in the final 12, where they'll hope to improve on their finish from three years ago.

"When they're sitting at the start line, they're like feral animals, ready to just rip somebody's throat out," Ivey said ahead of the Olympics.

With that emotional approach, they have the confidence and track record. The pair finished fourth