Melbourne-based Ballarat oarsman James Marburg and Brodie Buckland will be going for gold in tonight’s men’s pairs final.
JAMES Marburg will contest his second Olympic rowing final in London.
The Melbourne-based Ballarat oarsman and Brodie Buckland last night qualified for the men’s pairs final.
The Australians advanced with a third behind Great Britain and France in a semi-final on the Eton Dorney course.
Marburg is chasing a second Olympic medal.
A former St Patrick’s College student and rower, Marburg claimed silver in a four at Beijing in 2008.
Marburg’s performance means all three of “Team Ballarat’s” rowers at the London Olympics have reached finals.
Former Ballarat Grammar School student Tom Swann, of Mulwala in southern New South Wales, was a member of the men’s eight which last night finished sixth in the final.
The Australians crossed the line within a length of gold medallist Germany and 0.69 seconds of bronze medallist Great Britain.
Australia was going better than anyone on the line, but after dropping to the tail of the field in the second 500m of the 2000m drag race found itself too far back.
Canada overtook Great Britain in the charge to the line to get silver.
For Swann, 24, it was his Olympic debut. Marburg and Buckland have lane one in the final, which is scheduled for tomorrow night at 7.20pm (AEST).
Final draw: 1 Australia (semi-final time 7:02.12), 2 France (6:58.67), 3 Great Britain (6:56.46), 4 New Zealand (6:48.11), 5 Italy (6:55.82), 6 Canada 6:56.47).