In 2008, Greece had 5 rowers at the Beijing Olympics. We had a great 2009-12 cycle, and we ended up sending 10 rowers to London. We did very well in the different age categories too, so it seemed that we would send a big team to Rio. However, we sent 10 rowers once again. Despite that, our young athletes did very well once again so I thought we would have a huge team for Tokyo, but now we will have 3-8 rowers (more likely to be 3-4, maybe 6 with some luck).
The big problem in Greek rowing is that we always do well in the age categories, have young athletes for one Olympic cycle and then they disappear and every Olympic cycle the same thing happens. In 2016 we sent Anastasia Vontzou to the Olympic qualification regatta for LW2X, she was just 16 years old at the time. Didn't qualify but later that year she won medals in JW2X at the European and World Championships (with Anneta Kyridou). Now she hasn't competed with the national team since 2018. Just one of the many examples of people who I thought would totally qualify for Tokyo but didn't. She is still only 21 years old and still rowing, it says she's graduating this year so maybe there's hope for Paris: https://goaztecs.com/sports/womens-rowing/roster/anastasia-vontzou/6910
What a shame that Asoumanaki/Nikolaidou finished 4th in W2X in Rio, they were the youngest team (19 and 23) and now neither will be going to Tokyo . And Ioannis Petrou was 6th in LM4- in Rio, he was just 20 years old at the time and never competed again after that year. There is clearly a problem with the national team if everyone is always retiring at young ages.