"If the Olympic trials were tomorrow, I'd be on the team," said Beasley, who won the Pan-Am singles spot after defeating his competition during a week-long trial. "I'd like to get some more international experience. That will make me a more seasoned racer and give me a better shot at the Olympics."
Beasley, one of the national team's youngest rowers, goes before U.S. coaches at the end of this month for "speed orders," a set of time trials and head-to-head races that will determine the roster for this summer's European season. The sport's World Championships will be held in Tampere, Finland, Aug. 20-27. Beasley is expected to race in Europe, either in singles, doubles or quads.
"After graduation," Beasley said, "I'm going to start training full-time, two or three workouts per day, six days per week." Beasley will train in Augusta, site of the 1996 Olympic rowing events, where several members of the national team have relocated. Currently, Beasley commutes to Augusta only on weekends and has frequent talks via telephone with Igor Grinko, the U.S. national coach.
After the World Championships, Beasley will return home to Newburyport, Mass., where he plans to compete in some off-season events, such as Boston's Head of the Charles, where he debuted in singles last year, taking third place. Then he plans to return to full-time training in Augusta, preparing for the U.S. Olympic trials, which will take place in the early spring of 1996.
"People started to take notice of Cyrus when he did well in the off-season events last year," said Terry Friel, a U.S. Rowing Association spokesperson. "He has picked up sculling extremely fast."
Although he grew up near the ocean, Beasley did not take up the sport until he came to Emory, where he participated with the University's crew club team.
"Emory's club team opened the door for me," said Beasley. "I'm definitely indebted to them as a group. It got me where I am today."
--John Arenberg