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Olympic rowing: Niger rower Hamadou Issaka captures hearts
Niger rower Hamadou Djibo Issaka received a rapturous reception from the Eton Dorney crowd despite finishing dead last in the men's singles sculls.
The 35-year-old, who has been nicknamed "Issaka the Otter," finished the 2,000m stretch in just under nine minutes in a race to settle the bottom three places.
Issaka only took up rowing three months ago and trained for his Olympic debut in an old fishing boat.
He now plans to compete at the 2016 Games in Brazil.
Isska's time was nearly two minutes slower than the winning mark set later on Friday by New Zealand's gold medallist Mahe Drysdale.
Hamadou Djibi Issaka
<span style="font-weight: bold">But put into perspective that is still some feat for the 35-year-old from the landlocked, arid nation of Niger , which nestles on the edge of the Sahara desert</span>
