Competing at the National Indoor Arena on Sunday former JRFC rugby player Clinton (50) was one of three Jersey men – the other two were Jed Chapman and 18-year-old Michael Johnson, now a student at the University of Durham – rowing in different categories.
Clinton raced in the men’s 50-54 heavyweight category, finishing in a time of 6 min 32.2 sec – and was bitterly disappointed with the 2,000m race, because he knew that if he had been able to continue training over the last three weeks, he should have won.
‘Work commitments meant that I couldn’t train as much as I needed to if I was to win,’ he said.
‘I was comfortably in the lead after 1,500m but then I just died.
The crowd realised that it was neck-and-neck over those last few metres and half were shouting for (Paul) Langguth, the other half for me.
‘He’s won this for the last three years and is also European champion, and he knew I had the beating of him, but I just faded.
‘The air in the hall was also of poor quality but in training I’ve been hitting 6 min 20 sec, which would have won it.
Even so, going into the competition with so little training beforehand, I would have settled for any medal colour.
‘Don’t get me wrong, I’m delighted with the medal, but those last 500m on the heart and lungs are a killer.’ Langguth won in 6 min 28 sec, just four seconds ahead of Clinton, and both men were in the heavyweight category, whereas Chapman, representing Club Carrefour, finished fifth in the lightweight (50-54 yrs) in 6 min 55 sec.
The event was won by Phil Fugle.
Johnson, competing in the British Universities Open category finished in second place in the U19 age group, in a time of 6.22.
Johnson moved to the UK this year to study at Durham, and has been selected as captain of the Freshers’ rowing crew.
If his progress on the water continues to improve at the current rate, the university will also give him trials in the fours and eights first team boats before the university rowers’ highlight of the year, the Henley regatta.
Also at the weekend which attracted, in all, more than 3,000 competitors take part, was a team event which saw a 95-year-old set a new British record.
‘All right, his time was over 8 min, but for him just to get into the chair was something special,’ said Clinton.
‘His performance was greeted with the biggest cheer of all when it was announced he’d broken the record.’ Full results on www.concept2.co.uk/birc.
