The 2025 World Rowing Championships in Shanghai was the highlight to the first year of the new Olympic and Paralympic cycle. Alongside the competition, the World Rowing Development Programme once again demonstrated its value in supporting Member Federations with fewer resources to participate in major international events.
The programme welcomed a group of Paralympic and Olympic athletes and coaches, fostering a diverse and inclusive environment. This long-standing solidarity initiative brought together 84 participants from 16 Member Federations across four continents, including athletes and coaches from Egypt, Finland, Georgia, India (Para team), Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico (Para team), Moldova, Peru, Sudan, Togo, Tunisia, Ukraine (Para team), Uruguay, and Uzbekistan.
To aid acclimatisation, especially for those travelling across time zones, a World Rowing Development Training was held prior to the Championships. This preparatory phase helped athletes settle in and prepare for the competition.
The programme was delivered with the support of the WRCH 2025 Organising Committee—Shanghai Administration for Sport, Donghao Langsheng Event Management, and the Chinese Rowing Association—and guided by a team of World Rowing Development coaches including Nebojsa Ilic, Chris Perry, Sam Wong, Ruben Scarpati, and Mykolas Masilionis, alongside World Rowing Development coach trainees Jaykwon and Mohammad Azad with the full support and guidance of Gianni Postiglione, World Rowing Head of Coaching. This team of Development coaches provided technical support and guidance throughout the event.
Performance across the board reflected the growing strength of development federations. Notably, several countries achieved historic results:
🥇 Gold
- Uruguay: Felipe Klüver claimed gold in the lightweight men’s single sculls (LM1x), with Bruno Cetraro finishing sixth in the men’s single sculls (M1x).
- Ukraine (Para team): Anna Sheremet won gold in the PR1 women’s single sculls (PR1 W1x).
🥈 Silver
- Indonesia: Ali Mardiansyah and Rafiq Wijdan Yasir secured the nation’s first-ever World Rowing Championships medal with silver in the lightweight men’s double sculls (LM2x).
- Tunisia: Khadija Krimi and Selma Dhaouadi took silver in the lightweight women’s double sculls (LW2x), building on their 11th-place finish at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
- Ukraine (Para team):
Roman Polianskyi – silver in PR1 men’s single sculls (PR1 M1x)
Stanislav Samoliuk and Dariia Kotyk – silver in PR3 mixed double sculls (PR3 Mix2x)
🥉 Bronze
- Peru: Alessia Palacios Carrillo and Valeria Palacios Carrillo earned bronze in the lightweight women’s double sculls (LW2x).
These results underscore the steady progress and sustainability of the Development Programme. Beyond medals, the camaraderie and mutual support among nations were evident—athletes cheered each other on, competed with respect, and embodied the values of friendship and excellence.
Shanghai 2025 was not only a celebration of Rowing but a testament to what consistent support and opportunity can achieve. The Development Programme continues to be a cornerstone of World Rowing’s commitment to inclusivity and global growth. The support provided by World Rowing Development partners—including Concept2, Filippi, Kanghua, NK Sports and Swift Racing continue to be invaluable and plays a significant role in supporting the development of Rowing globally.
