"VAN" (Sports Desk - 27.07.2026) :: The Australian Rowing Team (ART) finished the 2026 World Rowing Under 23 Championships in Duisburg, Germany with a milestone medal haul.
Australia's five medal tally was confirmed Sunday after the Men's Eight’s A-Final fourth and Sarah Bourke’s Women's Single Sculls B-Final third.
Australia’s medal count was shored up on Saturday through Gold Medal victories in the Women's Pair and the Men's and Women's PR3 Single Sculls, along with Silver Medals in the Men's Pair and Men's Four.
The result saw Australia finish fourth on the medal table behind top of the table Greece (four Gold, two Silver), the United States (four Gold, one Silver, one Bronze) and Great Britain (three Gold, three Silver).
The ART’s impressive showing in Duisburg certainly showcased the impact that the support from Hancock Prospecting and enduring commitment of Rowing Australia Patron Mrs Gina Rinehart AO has on Australian rowing.
From trials and selection regattas, through to the big stage international competitions like this regatta, Hancock Prospecting’s investment is central to Australian crews being able to prepare, perform and succeed globally.
RA Chief Executive Officer, Sarah Cook OLY, who was in Duisburg to support the team at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships, recognised the support of Mrs Rinehart and Hancock Prosecting in the ART’s success.
“On behalf of Rowing Australia, I sincerely thank our Patron, Mrs Gina Rinehart AO, and Hancock Prospecting for their unwavering commitment and long-standing support of our athletes and the High-Performance program,” Cook said.
“Their support continues to play a pivotal role in creating opportunities for Australia’s next generation of world champions.”
RA also acknowledges the support from the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), Australian Sports Commission (ASC), and Australian Government through Minister for Sport Anika Wells, whose investment enables athletes, coaches and programs to perform and represent Australia with pride.
Cook said the ART’s performance in Duisburg cannot be underplayed, with the 2028 and 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games looming.
“They are a major milestone for our Under 23 Performance Pathway program and demonstrate the strength and depth being built,” she said.
“We have focused on ensuring athletes are selected because they have demonstrated the standards and benchmarks to contend for the podium.
“Our last Under 23 World Championship Gold Medal in an Olympic boat class came in 2019 through Ria Thompson in the Women’s Single Scull.
“To see multiple world titles this year across both Paralympic and Olympic boat classes is a fantastic reward for the investment and collaboration across our entire pathway.
“The progress in Duisburg is an encouraging indicator of the future of our Senior Team as we build towards Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032.”
Cook lauded the Pathways Program team that identified and selected the 10 boat-team – of which seven boats made A-Finals - by integrating Australian and US-based athletes studying in university there.
“Key has been the work led by our Head of Pathways, Jason Lane, to integrate Australian-based athletes with those competing in the US collegiate system,” she said. “Bringing those athletes together as one cohesive Australian team has strengthened both performance and culture; and these results in Duisburg are evidence of what can be achieved when our best young athletes are united behind a common purpose.”
For Cook, the “standout performance” of the ART in Duisburg, was the win on Saturday by Lucy Searle and Imogen Grey in the Women’s Pair under coach Hally Chapman’s guidance.
“To win Australia’s first Under 23 world title in an Olympic boat class in seven years is remarkable; and it highlights the calibre of athletes and coaches coming through our system,” she said.
“As inspiring was Sam Stunell and Susannah Lutze, coached by Christine MacLaren, winning the PR3 Single Sculls in World Best times.”
RA Head of Pathways, Jason Lane said the World Championships results confirmed RA is heading in the right direction with its Pathways Program.
“These results are a strong endorsement of the direction of our Pathways Program and the commitment being shown by our athletes, coaches and support staff across the country,” Lane said.
“To have seven of our 10 crews progress to A-Finals and come away with five medals demonstrates both the quality of talent coming through and the depth we are building across the Australian rowing system ahead of future senior international campaigns.”
On what the main take out of the Under 23 World Championships were for Australian rowing, Lane said: “The key takeaway from Duisburg is that Australia has a group of young athletes who are capable of performing on the world stage and who are building the habits required for long-term success.
“While the medals are an outstanding achievement, equally important is the way every crew raced with tenacity, determination and pride in the green and gold. That commitment, combined with the experience gained competing against the world's best under championship pressure, will be invaluable as these athletes progress towards future Senior World Championships, Paralympic Games and Olympic Games representation.”
In the last day of racing on Sunday, Australia featured in two races – the B-Final of the Women’s Single Sculls and the A-Final of the Men’s Eights.
In the Men’s Eights A-Final Australia enjoyed a strong start and held third place through 1000m. But New Zealand pushed through the second 1000m to pass Australia who finished fourth (5:36.08). Great Britain (5:31.94) won, ahead of second-placed US (5:32.98) and New Zealand (3:34.09) in third.
In the Women’s Single Sculls B-Final, Australia’s Sarah Bourke held second place for much of the race that was won by Greece’s Varvara Lykomitrou (7:36.08) before the US’s Cillian Mullen (7:38.37) came through to seize second place ahead of Bourke (7:42.15) who finished third.
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