In a few short weeks, Virginia graduate Wyatt Allen will row with the U.S. men's eight in the Olympics. A few short years ago, Allen first put hand to oar for the Virginia men's crew.
Allen grew up in Maine -- a state with little junior rowing, according to former Virginia coach Mike Blanchette. With no plan to pick up the sport, Allen came to Virginia and was tracked down by some older rowers who were looking for freshman with the right physique. The 6'4" athlete claims he was out of shape when he arrived on campus, but he nonetheless caught the eye of the recruiters.
While Allen's rise to the top of rowing has been fast, the first few days with the Virginia crew were a struggle, Allen said.
"I was the second to last guy to make the team," he said. "I think I beat one other guy -- I was really out of shape. But I pretty much fell in love with it."
It didn't take the young rower long to get the hang of things and catapult onto the national rowing scene. By the end of his freshman year, he had the fastest ergometer score on the team, and by his sophomore year, he decided they were good enough to submit to the national team.
By his junior year, Allen was invited to the under-23 selection camp and rowed in a pair. Members of the pair also serve as spares for members of the eight, the most sought-after boat. The next year Allen returned to the selection camp and earned a spot in the junior men's eight.
At Virginia, Allen not only served as one of the captains of the team, but also made fast friends with his teammates.
"He's sort of beloved by everybody," Blanchette said. "He's absolutely the nicest guy and everyone wants to try to emulate him because he's basically a stud but he's a great guy as well."
After graduation, Allen went to New Jersey and joined the Princeton Training Center, where the national team trains.
Allen got a stroke of luck having graduated in 2001, a year after the last Olympics.
"It's a little loosey-goosey," Blanchette said. "It's organized but guys kind of come and go especially right after the Olympic year."
Allen also pointed out that it is easier to make the national team on non-Olympic years, but his rise through the ranks exceeded even his own expectations.
"Things definitely progressed faster than expected," Allen said.
Allen originally rowed in a single-person skull then progressed to a double. He won the national speed order in both boats.
After his success with small shells he was added to the quad for the world championships.
"He has had a meteoric rise," Blanchette said.
As a member of the men's eight, Allen says he is nothing but enthusiastic about the team.
"The chemistry is amazing," he said. "Rarely has a boat been this much fun while reaching this level of success. I'm psyched to be a part of it."
Rowing coverage from Athens will begin on Aug. 14 and will continue throughout the 16 days of the Olympic Games.
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