KAIZU, Gifu Pref. (Kyodo) Japanese rower Kazushige Ura failed to secure a spot in the final of the men's lightweight single sculls Thursday and saw his world-best time wiped out just one day after setting it at the World Rowing Championships.
Ura, who broke a 7-year-old record just a day earlier, trailed in third in the final 1,000 meters before dropping back to finish fourth in his semifinal race at the Nagaragawa International Regatta Course.
Tim Eichmann of Switzerland was quick off the line and led from start to finish, clocking 6 minutes, 43.69 seconds. Vasileios Polymeros of Greece set a new world best time of 6:41.54 in the other semi to break Ura's mark of 6:46.52.
Dutchman Gerard van der Linden and Zac Purchase of Britain also grabbed final spots in times of 6:43.86 and 6:44.19. Ura, who clocked 6:45.29, was overtaken by Purchase in the final few meters in a photo-finish.