By Geni Stephan
CONTROVERSIAL rower Sally Robbins will not abandon her fight for Olympic selection.
The "Lay Down Sally" affair resurfaced this week after at least two Olympics contenders advised Rowing Australia they would not row with Robbins if she was selected for Beijing.
"Things like this aren't going to distract me from trying to achieve my goal of Olympic selection," Robbins said yesterday.
"I'm focused on doing all the things that are going to get me on that plane to Beijing rather than the opinions of other people.
"I've been training hard at the WA Institute of Sport in Perth to make sure I'm fully prepared for the selection regatta in April when the sculling squad will be chosen."
Robbins, 26, spent two years on the outer following her highly publicised collapse in the final of the eight at the Athens Olympics in 2004. However, when she decided to resume her career she successfully won her way back into the national squad with a series of outstanding selection trial performances. Robbins, who also represented Australia in Sydney eight years ago, said she remained focused on the job ahead having worked so hard to regain a spot among the elite group.
Robbins has had strong backing from WAIS and its director Steve Lawrence.
"We have been extremely proud of Sally's efforts in getting herself to this position where she is a member of the shadow squad for Beijing," Lawrence said. "It has been very disappointing to hear rowers commenting on their potential teammates at this point in time when they should be concentrating on their own preparations for selection."
Rowing Australia yesterday declined to comment on the latest row, including newspaper comments from Olympic rowing great Mike McKay, who claimed that Robbins was not strong enough mentally to compete in Beijing.
McKay believes Robbins would be a distraction to the rowing team if selected for the Games.
McKay is a member of Rowing Australia's appeals tribunal - the body responsible for ruling on selection appeals. Rowing WA president Craig James said McKay's comments were unfortunate, given his position on the tribunal.