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• Neil Wallace

Today the next generation of Inverness Rowing Club gathered to watch their club mate Alan Sinclair perform at the very highest level in our sport, an Olympic Final.

And what a final it was!

We saw the gold medal go to the New Zealand Pair of Bond and Murray, recognised as the best EVER exponents of the coxless pair, but our focus was on the race for Silver, and Alan and his crew mate Stewart Innes came agonisingly close to securing it.

A perfectly executed race plan took the GB crew into second place after 1700m of the race. Just 300m to go.
At this point they were moving beautifully and we all watched, with mouths open, beginning to believe that we were home and dry for that medal.

Sadly, however, and for reasons yet to become clear, the GB crew faultered slightly, veering close to the edge of their lane, perhaps requiring a touch of rudder which allowed the other great crews from RSA and Italy to push through.

The position after 2000m - the cruellest of Olympic placings, a fourth place. No medal this time for Stewart and Alan.

A hush fell over the boathouse. We were disappointed for ourselves and of course for Alan. He was so close to achieving the unachievable.

Within a few minutes, however, the reality of what we had just witnessed began to sink in. One of us, a boy from Inverness, had come within a whisker of Olympic Glory.

Who knows which one of these spectators of today will become the Alan of the future?

Alan has proved it is possible. With hard work, belief and determination, the sky is the limit for Inverness Rowers.