Roos de Jong and Laila Youssifou pose during their Paris Ready shoot in North London. Turn to "Paris Ready: The Big Dance" for the former Dutch double’s take on their progress to the Games.

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Atlantic Ocean Rower Dies

A former Australian spy and war crimes investigator has died skippering a rowing boat in a race across the Atlantic Ocean. Alisdair Putt, who had planned to spend his 62nd birthday on the boat, suffered a heart attack on 4 January 2024. Despite the rest of the crew’s efforts, resuscitation was not successful. Race organisers confirmed the tragedy the next day, with “heartfelt sadness”, later sharing a statement from the Putt family: “Al’s family would like to thank everyone for their support and kind words. Al was a husband, father, brother, uncle, friend and so much more. It’s a disservice to summarise him, his life and his impact. He was so kind and giving, in his personal and professional life.” Aussie Old Salts were a four-person crew and the only Australian team competing in the 2023 edition of ‘World’s Toughest Row’, and rowing in support of a military veterans’ transition centre and an indigenous women’s crisis centre in Kununurra.