In men’s double sculls yesterday, three boats from each semifinal were expected to advance to Saturday’s final. But a come-from-behind effort by the U.S. pair in the first race resulted in a third-place tie with Norway, setting up a rare seven-boat final.

The rarity didn’t end there. One half of the American team, Aquil Abdullah, is the first black man to make a U.S. Olympic rowing team; his partner, Henry Nuzum, is the first veteran of the current war in Iraq to compete in a U.S. Olympic uniform.

At the midpoint of yesterday’s 2,000-meter race, the U.S. was in sixth place, 2.5 seconds behind Norway. With 500 meters to go, the Americans narrowed the gap, and appeared to edge out Norway at the line. But a photo finish revealed a dead heat for third place, meaning both boats advanced.

Despite the frenetic ending, Nuzum said afterward that the final 500 meters weren’t the most critical part of the race.

“What set us up for that was the first 1,500,” he said after the race. “Aquil was keeping my rhythm; he’s technically very smooth. He’s telling me what to do and we were staying efficient.”

Following orders in a boat is nothing new for Nuzum: The Navy officer served on the USS John S. McCain during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2002 and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.

“When I was deployed, I did calisthenics, pull-ups, sit-ups, lunges and rode a stationary bike,” Nuzum told The New York Sun by telephone yesterday, explaining how he stayed in shape during the 290 days he spent at sea.

Nuzum’s shipmates had no idea he was a future Olympic contender until ESPN interviewed him in 2003 for a piece on “Outside the Lines.” He’s not

currently in contact with anyone on the ship, nor does he carry any Navy insignia when he competes.

“I have no physical reminders, but a lot of mental reminders,” he explained, without offering more detail.

Nuzum first signed up for ROTC in 1995 as a freshman at Harvard, where he was a member of the varsity eight. After graduating in 1999 with a degree in government, he made his Olympic debut in Sydney, placing eighth in double sculls with Mike Ferry. He received orders to begin Navy duty in September 2001; two weeks before he boarded the ship, terrorists attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

On the USS McCain, Nuzum had three primary functions: navigating the ship, preventing contraband from entering the vessel, and loading Tomahawk missiles. He returned to the U.S. in May 2003 and the Navy allowed him to dedicate himself full-time to making the Olympic team.

In March, Nuzum and Abdullah began training seriously in double sculls. It wasn’t an instant fit, and they were seeking different partners by April. But it was too late and no one else was available. So they stuck together and surprised themselves by winning the National Selection Regatta.

Two months later, the duo was named to the Athens squad; Abdullah thus became the first black man to make a U.S. Olympic rowing team. (The first woman was Anita DeFrantz, a bronze medalist in the women’s eight in 1976.)

Although Abdullah has a Muslim name, he converted to his mother’s religion, Catholicism, several years ago. Nonetheless, he says he is often detained at airports because of his Muslim name – odd for a man who spends so much time sitting in a boat within three feet of a Navy officer.

Despite their initial incompatibility, Abdullah was happy to be rowing with Nuzum yesterday. Abdullah told reporters, “I’m just thankful to have a partner like Henry who can lay it down in the last 500 and take us through.”

Although they are unlikely to win a medal this weekend against the defending Olympic champions from Slovenia and five other European boats, Abdullah said that he was inspired by the men’s 4x200m swimming gold, explaining, “You never know who’s going to medal.” If he and Nuzum are successful, Abdullah joked, “Probably the boat will flip and we’ll drown.”