World Rowing is proud to announce the successful conclusion of the selection process for the WISH – Women in Sport High-Performance Pathway Programme, with three coaches now confirmed to take part in Cohort 5.
Following a call for applications earlier this year, World Rowing undertook an internal selection process, inviting National Federations to nominate elite women coaches with the potential to grow in high-performance coaching. World Rowing is delighted to support the participation of the following candidates:
- Viktoriia Maydachevska (Ukraine) – Fully funded by World Rowing
- Batenga Nakisozi (Uganda) – Fully funded by World Rowing
- Maria Georgiou (Cyprus) – Funded by Cyprus Rowing Federation
These talented coaches will join peers from across the globe for the WISH Cohort 5 residential week, taking place from 28 July to 1 August 2025 in Hertfordshire, UK. The residential week marks the start of an intensive 21-month leadership journey, designed to grow confidence, strengthen leadership skills, and develop sport-specific competencies in women coaching at the elite level.
About the WISH Programme
Funded by Olympic Solidarity, WISH was created to help meet the IOC Gender Equality Objective 15—to increase the presence of women coaches at the Olympic Games and World Championships. Since its inception, 125 coaches from 60 countries and 22 sports have taken part.
The WISH Pathway includes:
- The 5-day residential experience in the UK
- 8 online leadership sessions
- 8 leadership mentoring sessions
- 4 sport-specific mentoring sessions
- 360-degree feedback and tailored development plans
World Rowing is also exploring exchange opportunities around the residential period in collaboration with British Rowing, offering the three coaches added value through experiential learning.
World Rowing congratulates the three selected coaches and looks forward to supporting them throughout their WISH journey. Follow the WISH programme and celebrate their progress via:
