Image Credit: World Rowing
As the dust settles on a memorable Olympic and Paralympic summer, the victors enjoy their respective spoils while the defeated are licking their collective wounds. Most athletes take time out after the Games to be with family they might have neglected or to catch up on aspects of their lives that have taken a backseat in pursuit of sporting glory. That means the 2025 season might look a little different but I am excited to see who emerges from the ashes with west-coast silverware in mind.
Alexandra Foester
A triple U23 world champion, Foester of Germany will enter this Olympiad as a clear name to watch after finishing seventh overall in Paris. Whether she chooses to continue remains to be seen but she has similar potential to Oliver Zeidler, who has just completed his own personal ascension to the top of the sculling charts. Her rivalry with Swizterland’s Aurelia-Maxima Katharina Janzen could be one of the most compelling narratives of the LA Olympiad, particularly given that several of the top athletes from Paris are likely to step back from the sport.
Great Britain
This seems like an obvious pick, given GB topped the medal table in Paris and have been a historical heavyweight. Their recent performances at both the U19 and U23 world championships give us a very strong indication of what is to come in the years ahead after their women won every sweep category at the latter event and the men secured gold in every age group in the men’s eight. With a strong development contingent, who have been largely training out of the dual performances centres of Leander and Oxford Brookes, Great Britain are likely to come back firing even if they do not retain a good chunk of their medal-laden Paris party.
Greece
There is no denying that Greece had an impressive U23 world championships to couple with a punchy Olympic Games. Their U23 lightweight double won a comfortable gold, eight seconds ahead of the field, whilst Evangelia Fragkou finished fourth in the single. Dimitra Kontou – who was part of the winning lightweight double at U23 level – paired up with Zoi Fitsiou to finish third at the Olympics in the same category. Their men also won bronze in the male equivalent. If this group can transition into openweight categories, they should be a force to be reckoned with over the coming years. Their senior women’s pair – who probably disappointed a little in finishing sixth at the Olympics – are also a very obvious name for the future.
Poland
A bronze was probably not what the Polish had in mind when they set out after a fourth-placed finish but if the recent U23 championships are anything to go by, then the future is extremely bright. They won both the double and quad in St Catharine’s, Canada and there is every chance that one or two of the current Polish senior crop might choose to stay on with this type of talent emerging. Fabian Baranski, for instance, is only 25 and stroked this boat to new heights.
Romania
This group isn’t so much a cohort to watch as a fully certified powerhouse on the international rowing scene. Gold in the women’s eight cemented that legacy, and they added to that with a stunning victory in the men’s double, a silver in the women’s equivalent (having doubled up) and another second-placed finish in the women’s pair. Romania then went on to win the women’s double and quad at the U23 world championships, flexing a range of age-group muscles and reminding the world that they’re here to stay.
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