Image Credit – Rowing Australia
The Australian Rowing Championship is the pivotal event in the regatta calendar. Not only because it brings the community together – but also because it acts as a selection regatta for junior and senior athletes. The U23 age category is the peak of student and junior rowing, so it is no surprise that the lineup for the singles in this event is nothing short of stacked. In terms of selection, a podium finish guarantees attention from selectors as the boat class of the single allows athletes to prove that they are the fastest, the toughest and the best.
Romy Cantwell – Melbourne University (MUBC)
Cantwell has been a proven powerhouse in the single scull in the past season and will undoubtedly be looking to cement herself as the best in this field. She recently walked away from the NSW state championship with a gold, besting many in the field that will seek to challenge her again at the Australian Rowing Championships. She also proved her capability, collecting a silver medal at the RV state regatta in the open age single, showing her dominance in all age categories. Paired with international racing experience in the U21 team – Cantwell is definitely one to beat.
Sarah Fahd – University of Technology Sydney (UTS)
Fahd has been a consistent name in high performance rowing in NSW for many of the past years. In 2023 she represented the U21 team before representing Australia in the U23 team last year in the quad, which placed fifth. She placed second at the NSW state championship behind Cantwell by only 1.58 seconds, which will certainly give her motivation for her campaign at the Australian Rowing Championships. She has been on form this season, always being a name amongst the mix of medallists, particularly in the sculling class. She will undoubtedly be hungry for gold.
Sophie Malcolm – Centenary
Malcolm has been one of Australia’s most promising junior rowers in the past year. Malcolm was previously selected to compete in the Australian U23 quad that came fifth in the U23 World Rowing Championships in St Catherines alongside previously mentioned Fahd. At last year’s Australian Rowing Championships, Malcolm also showed class in the sculling discipline, taking home gold in the U23 quad and claiming a bronze in the U21 single. Despite only being in her first year of U23 eligibility – she is no stranger to the need to perform at such a high level. Her performance and confidence is only boosted by her recent placing at the NSW state champs, coming in third. She will be one to watch.
Sophia Wightman – University of Sydney (SUBC)
Wightman’s will be eager to compete against fellow Queensland natives, many of whom will be friends once the racing has concluded. Wightman will be looking to cement herself as a top competitor to represent Australia in Lithuania at this year’s iteration of the U23 World Rowing Championships. Her range of international racing experience includes racing in the single scull as a U21 and at the World Rowing University Championships in the double. She proved her stamina with many strong performances in the Rowing NSW time trials and started the season as the top-ranked NSW sculler, although she just missed out on a podium finish in this event at the NSW State Championships. Using her support as an NSWIS athlete, she will be ready to leave it all on the course.
Eliza Bridgefoot – University of Queensland (UQ)
Bridgefoot is the second half to the foundational members of Queensland’s junior rowing strength – her key other half being that of Malcolm. Usually her crewmate, she will be one of her hottest competitors in this race. With Fahd and Malcolm, Bridgefoot also represented Australia in the U23 quad last year despite still being a U21 athlete. She placed sixth in the recent Rowing NSW Championships, although her time in the heats would have had her narrowly miss third in the final. Bridgefoot’s talent was identified, and she was subsequently invited to trial for the National Training Centre (NTC) last year, narrowly missing out. Having felt within a grasp of making the senior Australian team, Bridgefoot will be out for gold in this event, ready to prove herself, no matter what it takes.
Prediction
Romy Cantwell will be prepared both mentally and physically to cross the line first, although not without significant challenges from behind, which will produce a hotly contested race for the silver medal between Fahd, Malcolm and Wightman. I think the consistency and extra racing experience of Fahd over Malcolm and Wightman may give her the competitive edge for the medal. Either way, this race will be one of high emotions, high stakes and high entertainment.
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