CHULA VISTA, Calif. - Long Beach Rowing Association's Ron Harvey (Downingtown, Pa.) rowed uncontested to win the final of the arms and shoulders men's single sculls at the 2012 Paralympic Trials - Rowing on April 12 in Chula Vista, Calif.
Harvey completed the course in 5:12.222 to earn the right to race in London as a member of the U.S. Paralympic Rowing Team, pending final approval by the United States Olympic Committee.
Harvey, now a nine-time national team member, qualified the boat for the Paralympic Games at the 2011 World Rowing Championships. He represented the U.S. in 2008 at the first-ever Paralympic Games for rowing in Beijing, finishing fifth in the event.
"I'm very excited to go to London," said Harvey. "I think it's going to be a great event and I'm looking forward to racing there and hopefully bringing home a medal. It's nice to have trials over. I can really focus on my training and work on getting some more speed by August.
"It's going to be a very strong (field in London). The level of competition goes up every year. I know that Tom Aggar (Great Britain's arms and shoulders single sculler) has been dominating for years, and I'm sure he really wants to win on his home course. Everyone was closing the gap on him last year, challenging him. I expect that there will be some very fast racing."
In addition to the men's arms and shoulders single sculls, the U.S. has qualified the legs, trunk and arms four with coxswain for the 2012 Paralympic Games. The crew will be named April 30.
In the two remaining adaptive rowing events - the women's arms and shoulders single sculls and trunk and arms mixed double sculls - the U.S. will have a final opportunity to qualify for London at the Final Paralympic Qualification Regatta May 4-6 in Belgrade, Serbia.