row2k Features
Interview
Ohio State's Aina Cid
January 24, 2017
Erik Dresser, row2k.com

Aina Cid (right) at FOQR

This week's row2k Interview is with Ohio State senior rower Aina Cid, who qualified the Spanish W2- for the Olympic Games at the FOQR and raced to a 6th place finish in Rio.

row2k - How did you get your start in rowing?
Aina Cid - I was 10 years old, and I my parents thought that I needed to engage in some sort of exercise. So, my dad was in the rowing world and he encouraged me to try it. My first season, I rowed only the weekends as a hobby but later in the season I competed and won regionals and placed 6th in the national championship. Next thing I know, nearly 13 years have passed and I am still fighting to get to the top of the rowing world.

row2k - You’re in your senior year at Ohio State, how did you end up in Columbus?
Aina Cid - So I went to junior worlds in Eton in the 2x and at that time the OSU assistant coach Diana Albrecht contacted me and offered me a scholarship to study in the United States. I always wanted to study abroad, and always dreamt of studying at Oxford or Cambridge but they didn’t have any of the career programs I was looking for, so going to America was the best opportunity I had to study away from home. I had many other schools that offered me the chance to pursue my career with them. I wanted to be in a competitive school where I could train hard to come back home and try out for the national team and that had a really good Exercise Science program. The Ohio State University was the perfect fit.

row2k - You took 2016 off try and qualify for the Olympics in the ESP W2-, how did you come to that decision?
Aina Cid - Before I came back for what was supposed to be my senior year at OSU, my national team coach called and told me that they wanted to try to qualify the pair at the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta in Lucerne, and that they were interested in me trying out for the boat. So, I got to Ohio undecided but after talking to some of my teammates, coaches, and family, I decided that I would give it a chance. At first I wasn’t sure because I didn’t know if we were going to qualify but at last I was convinced when I saw the chance of fighting for my lifetime dream. So I postponed my graduation one more semester and I stayed home during spring term to try out and train for my goal.

Cid (right) after qualifying for Rio
Cid (right) after qualifying for Rio

row2k - You and your pair partner won the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta, what was that experience like and what did you learn from that regatta?
Aina Cid - Honestly that was one of the best moments of my life. There is a picture of us after crossing the finish line and my pair partner looks astonished, that shows exactly how I felt afterwards. I couldn’t believe what just happened. I trained so hard my whole rowing career so one day I could get to the Olympic games, and when I got it I just couldn’t believe it.

row2k - Your pair finished 6th in Rio, describe how your regatta went and how does racing at the Olympics compare to other regattas?
Aina Cid - The final was probably the worst race of the championship. We were exhausted from the day before in the semifinals. We gave 110% in that race to qualify for the Olympic final and honestly that was our targeted race. I wish I could have fought/enjoyed that race a bit more as there is not always the chance to race in an Olympic final. I can say that I was pretty sad that we did not have the opportunity to show the world what we were capable of.

Regarding to how different the race at the Olympics is compared to other regattas, I have never been to a senior world championship, so I cannot compare to them, but I can say that competing at the Olympics was quite stressful. Mostly because how much media attention we had and that feeling of everyone watching you.

row2k - What has the process been like re-integrating with the Buckeyes?
Aina Cid - At first it was hard. I came from a very specific training dynamic where I trained with a very small group of people and where most of the workouts were personalized. Then I came back to Ohio State where things are done in a very different way. I had to adapt back to my old routine and change my mindset, which took me some time. Nonetheless, I am now on it and ready to train really hard to be the best for my team.

row2k - What are you studying at Ohio State and do you have any plans for after graduation?
Aina Cid - I am majoring in Exercise Science; I am all about sport, and being physically active. My plans are to attend graduate school next year, I am not sure where yet but I want to focus on physical activity and health and if possible (time wise), I would also like to get a PhD in the same field. And of course I also want to keep rowing to try to qualify for the 2020 Olympic games.

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