Shelley Pearson has reached today’s semi-finals of her Olympic rowing qualifiers in Curauma, Chile, after placing second in her heat at the Latin American Continental Qualification Regatta.

The top two finishers from each heat yesterday advanced to the semi-finals with Pearson finishing behind a competitor from Mexico, with rowers from Brazil, Chile and Bahamas following in what was the toughest heat.

Those finishing outside the top two places will go into another group for a second chance to advance.

The semi-finals will take place today at 9.40am and 9.50am (Bermuda time).

This is Pearson’s one and only shot at qualifying for the Olympics in Rio in August. She is hoping to become the first Bermuda rower to compete at the Olympics since Jim Butterfield in Munich in 1972.

As well as trying to reach the Olympics, Pearson is nearing the end of her master’s degree in child development and education at Oxford University in England.

Balancing the demands of her degree and training for the pinnacle of her sport has not been easy for Pearson, but a training camp in Italy and sessions on the 2012 London Olympics course in Dorney Lake have helped.

“The most I’ve been able to look beyond the regatta are the two weeks following, during which I have four final assignments due and two exams,” Pearson said.

She recently travelled to Italy with the Oxford women’s squad for a week of intense training.

“That was fantastic,” Pearson said. “We had glorious weather and some great side-by-side racing.

“We spent a lot of time on the water, which enabled me to focus on making positive technical changes.”