The women's single sculls event at the 2020 Summer Olympics took place from 23 to 30 July 2021 at the Sea Forest Waterway. 32 rowers from 32 nations competed.

Background

This was the 12th appearance of the event, which has been held every year since women's rowing was introduced in 1976.

The World Champions since the 2016 Games are Jeannine Gmelin of Switzerland, (2017) and Sanita Pušpure, (2018 and 2019) of Ireland. Both rowers qualified for the 2020 regatta.

Qualification

Each National Olympic Committee (NOC) is limited to a single boat (one rower) in the event. There are 32 qualifying places in the women's single sculls:

9 from the 2019 World Championship 5 from the Asia & Oceania qualification regatta 5 from the Africa qualification regatta 5 from the Americas qualification regatta 3 from the Europe qualification regatta 2 from the final qualification regatta 1 host nation place 2 invitational places

The COVID-19 pandemic delayed many of the events for qualifying for rowing.

Competition format

This rowing event is a single scull event, meaning that each boat is propelled by a single rower. The "scull" portion means that the rower uses two oars, one on each side of the boat; this contrasts with sweep rowing in which each rower has one oar and rows on only one side (not feasible for singles events). The competition consists of multiple rounds. The competition continues to use the five-round format introduced in 2012. Finals are held to determine the placing of each boat; these finals are given letters with those nearer to the beginning of the alphabet meaning a better ranking. Semifinals are named based on which finals they feed, with each semifinal having two possible finals. The course uses the 2000 metres distance that became the Olympic standard in 1912.

During the first round six heats are held. The first three boats in each heat advance to the quarterfinals, while all others are relegated to the repechages.

The repechage is a round which offers rowers a second chance to qualify for the quarterfinals. Placing in the repechage heats determines which quarterfinal the boat would race in. The top two boats in each repechage heat move on to the quarterfinals, with the remaining boats going to the E/F semifinals.

The four quarterfinals are the second round for rowers still competing for medals. Placing in the quarterfinal heats determines which semifinal the boat would race in. The top three boats in each quarterfinal move on to the A/B semifinals, with the bottom three boats going to the C/D semifinals.

Six semifinals are held, two each of A/B semifinals, C/D semifinals, and E/F semifinals. For each semifinal race, the top three boats move on to the better of the two finals, while the bottom three boats go to the lesser of the two finals possible. For example, a second-place finish in an A/B semifinal would result in advancement to the A final.

The fifth and final round is the finals. Each final determines a set of rankings. The A final determines the medals, along with the rest of the places through 6th. The B final gives rankings from 7th to 12th, the C from 13th to 18th, and so on. Thus, to win a medal rowers have to finish in the top three of their heat (or top two of their repechage heat), top three of their quarterfinal, and top three of their A/B semifinal to reach the A final.

Schedule

The competition is held over eight days. Times given are session start times; multiple rowing events might have races during a session.

All times are Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)

Date Time Round Friday, 23 July 2021 9:30 Heats Saturday, 24 July 2021 8:00 RepechageSunday, 25 July 2021 9:20 Semifinals E/F 11:00 QuarterfinalsThursday, 29 July 2021 10:30 Semifinals A/B 12:00 Semifinals C/DFriday, 30 July 2021 7:55 Final F 8:15 Final E 8:25 Final D 8:45 Final C 9:05 Final B Friday, 30 July 2021 9:33 Final A

Results Heats The first three of each heat qualify for the quarterfinals, while the remainder go to the repechage.

Heat 1 Rank Lane Rower Nation Time Notes12 Kara Kohler 7:49.71 21 Tatsiana Klimovich 7:51.86 36 Nazanin Malaei 7:59.01 44 Alejandra Alonso 8:11.88 55 Esther Toko 8:58.49 63 Esraa Khogali 10:18.27

Heat 2 Rank Lane Rower Nation Time Notes15 Sanita Pušpure 7:46.08 26 Kenia Lechuga 7:54.21 32 Anneta Kyridou 7:54.28 43 Felice Aisha Chow 8:02.02 51 Kathleen Grace Noble 8:21.85 64 Joan Poh 8:31.12

Heat 3 Rank Lane Rower Nation Time Notes13 Hanna Prakatsen 7:48.74 25 Jiang Yan 7:53.14 31 Veronica Toro Arana 8:11.57 44 Winne Hung 8:17.79 52 Sarah Fraincart 8:32.78

Heat 4 Rank Lane Rower Nation Time Notes13 Victoria Thornley 7:44.30 25 Jeannine Gmelin 7:47.20 31 Lovisa Claesson 7:58.41 42 Evidelia González 8:25.18 54 Claire Ayivon 8:48.07

Heat 5 Rank Lane Rower Nation Time Notes12 Magdalena Lobnig 7:37.91 24 Carling Zeeman 7:40.72 35 Maike Diekmann 7:56.37 41 Milena Venega 8:03.00 53 Tala Abujbara 8:06.29

Heat 6 Rank Lane Rower Nation Time Notes15 Emma Twigg 7:35.22 21 Sophie Souwer 7:39.96 33 Jovana Arsić 7:46.74 44 Huang Yi-ting 8:04.59 52 Jeong Hye-jeong 8:12.15

Repechage

The first two in each heat qualify for the quarterfinals; the rest go to Semifinals E/F (out of medal contention).

Repechage heat 1

Rank Lane Rower Nation Time Notes14 Alejandra Alonso 8:08.91 23 Huang Yi-ting 8:11.56 32 Tala Abujbara 8:16.88 41 Joan Poh 8:40.06 55 Sarah Fraincart 8:42.78

Repechage heat 2

Rank Lane Rower Nation Time Notes12 Felice Chow 8:15.94 21 Jeong Hye-jeong 8:26.73 33 Evidelia González 8:37.55 44 Esther Toko 9:07.54

Repechage heat 3

Rank Lane Rower Nation Time Notes13 Milena Venega 8:17.30 22 Winne Hung 8:23.58 34 Kathleen Grace Noble 8:36.01 41 Claire Ayivon 9:04.23 55 Esraa Khogali 10:25.94

Quarterfinals

The first three of each heat qualify to Semifinal A/B, while the remainder go to Semifinal C/D (out of medal contention).

Quarterfinal 1

Rank Lane Rower Nation Time Notes14 Sanita Pušpure 7:58.30 SF A/B23 Kara Kohler 7:59.39 SF A/B35 Jiang Yan 8:00.01 SF A/B42 Jovana Arsić 8:09.37 SF C/D56 Alejandra Alonso 8:29.80 SF C/D61 Winne Hung 8:36.37 SF C/D

Quarterfinal 2

Rank Lane Rower Nation Time Notes13 Hanna Prakatsen 7:49.64 SF A/B 25 Carling Zeeman 7:57.58 SF A/B 34 Victoria Thornley 7:59.93 SF A/B 42 Lovisa Claesson 8:16.99 SF C/D 56 Milena Venega 8:25.26 SF C/D 61 Jeong Hye-jeong 8:38.70 SF C/D

Quarterfinal 3

Rank Lane Rower Nation Time Notes14 Magdalena Lobnig 7:58.20 SF A/B 23 Sophie Souwer 7:59.92 SF A/B 32 Anneta Kyridou 8:02.19 SF A/B 45 Tatsiana Klimovich 8:09.04 SF C/D 51 Felice Chow 8:21.23 SF C/D 66 Veronica Toro Arana 8:35.32 SF C/D

Quarterfinal 4

Rank Lane Rower Nation Time Notes13 Emma Twigg 7:54.96 SF A/B 24 Jeannine Gmelin 8:02.10 SF A/B 31 Nazanin Malaei 8:07.32 SF A/B 42 Kenia Lechuga 8:09.29 SF C/D 55 Maike Diekmann 8:21.69 SF C/D 66 Huang Yi-ting 8:34.51 SF C/D

Semifinals

The first three of each heat qualify to the better final (E, C, A) while the remainder go to the lower final (F, D, B).

Semifinal A/B 1

Rank Lane Rower Nation Time Notes14 Hanna Prakatsen 7:23.61 FA25 Jeannine Gmelin 7:25.80 FA31 Jiang Yan 7:27.30 FA42 Sophie Souwer 7:29.66 FB53 Sanita Pušpure 7:34.40 FB66 Anneta Kyridou 7:40.81 FB

Semifinal A/B 2

Rank Lane Rower Nation Time Notes14 Emma Twigg 7:20.70 FA26 Victoria Thornley 7:25.12 FA33 Magdalena Lobnig 7:25.59 FA42 Kara Kohler 7:26.10FB55 Carling Zeeman 7:38.28 FB61 Nazanin Malaei 7:45.52 FB

Semifinal C/D 1

Rank Lane Rower Nation Time Notes14 Lovisa Claesson 7:35.91 FC23 Jovana Arsić 7:39.26 FC35 Maike Diekmann 7:40.77 FC42 Felice Chow 7:45.14 FD 51 Veronica Toro Arana 7:53.36 FD66 Winne Hung 7:56.30 FD

Semifinal C/D 2

Rank Lane Rower Nation Time Notes14 Kenia Lechuga 7:33.72 FC23 Tatsiana Klimovich 7:33.78 FC35 Milena Venega 7:41.18 FC42 Alejandra Alonso 7:43.33 FD56 Huang Yi-ting 7:56.00 FD61 Jeong Hye-jeong 8:06.32 FD

Semifinal E/F 1

Rank Lane Rower Nation Time Notes13 Tala Abujbara 8:24.24 FE22 Kathleen Grace Noble 8:31.67 FE31 Esther Toko 9:07.70 FE44 Esraa Khogali 10:23.52 FF

Semifinal E/F 2

Rank Lane Rower Nation Time Notes12 Evidelia González 8:36.99FE 24 Sarah Fraincart 8:43.90 FE33 Joan Poh 8:47.77 FE41 Claire Ayivon 9:15.29 FF Finals Final F Rank Lane Rower Nation Time Notes312 Claire Ayivon 8:44.42321 Esraa Khogali 10:05.32

Final E Rank Lane Rower Nation Time Notes254 Tala Abujbara 8:00.22265 Kathleen Grace Noble 8:07.00273 Evidelia González 8:10.87286 Joan Poh 8:21.23292 Sarah Fraincart 8:25.38301 Esther Toko 8:42.78

Final D Rank Lane Rower Nation Time Notes193 Felice Chow 7:48.06205 Huang Yi-ting 7:52.18214 Alejandra Alonso 7:55.63222 Veronica Toro Arana 7:57.22231 Winne Hung 8:02.79246 Jeong Hye-jeong 8:06.13

Final C Rank Lane Rower Nation Time Notes135 Tatsiana Klimovich 7:39.53144 Lovisa Claesson 7:41.07152 Jovana Arsić 7:43.30163 Kenia Lechuga 7:43.55171 Milena Venega 7:47.40186 Maike Diekmann 7:52.17

Final B Rank Lane Rower Nation Time Notes73 Sophie Souwer 7:25.9682 Carling Zeeman 7:29.5994 Kara Kohler 7:29.72106 Anneta Kyridou 7:36.79111 Nazanin Malaei 7:42.57 12 5 Sanita Pušpure DNS

Final A Rank Lane Rower Nation Time Notes4 Emma Twigg 7:13.97 3 Hanna Prakatsen 7:17.396 Magdalena Lobnig 7:19.7245 Victoria Thornley 7:20.3952 Jeannine Gmelin 7:20.9161 Jiang Yan 7:21.33

References