COPENHAGEN, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Denmark's men's lightweight coxless fours have announced disbanding after the event was scrapped by the World Rowing Federation (FISA) earlier this month, local media reported on Wednesday.
The current foursome in the boat - Steffen Bonde Jensen, Peter Holmquist, Emil Hjorth Espensen and Jens Noll Nielsen - have decided to part ways due to a lack of Olympic participation on the horizon, according to the Danish newspaper The Copenhagen Post.
"They were all very disappointed that the boat had been axed from the Olympic program and that's understandable. Their dreams had been to qualify for Tokyo 2020 in the boat, and that chance is almost non-existent today," Lars Christensen, the sporting director of the Danish Rowing Association, was quoted by the paper as saying.
Known as "The Golden Four" in Denmark, the team is considered the most successful Danish rowing group in history, winning medals in six straight Olympics since the event's introduction in 1996, including three golds.
It also won eight World Championship gold medals and three silvers.
The four rowers instead hope to qualify to the Olympics in other boat classes, according to the paper.
