"VAN" (Sports Desk - 28.07.2025) :: Australia’s next generation of elite rowers capped off a competitive week in Poznań, Poland, with two standout performances at the 2025 World Rowing Under 23 Championships.
Para-athlete Sam Stunell secured an historic Gold in the U23 PR3 Men’s Single Sculls, while Romy Cantwell delivered a gutsy race to claim Bronze in the U23 Women’s Single Sculls.
The championships, held on Lake Malta, brought together more than 50 nations and showcased some of the brightest emerging talents in international rowing.
Stunell’s win marked a major milestone for para-rowing.
Competing in the first-ever U23 PR3 Men’s Single Sculls event at U23 level, he established a commanding lead in the second 1000m to defeat Ukraine’s Ivan Kupriichuk by over 13 seconds.
“I came out here with the intention that the only thing good enough for me was Gold, so I'm stoked to be at the top of the podium,” Stunell said.
His performance underscored the strength of Rowing Australia’s para pathway and set a new benchmark for the future of the category.
In the Women’s Single Sculls, Cantwell fought through a challenging start and surged through the middle of the race to finish third behind Switzerland’s Aurelia-Maxima Janzen and Greece’s Eleni Diavati.
Cantwell, who crossed the line in 7:52.60, held off a late push from the chasing field.
“I didn't have the best 500m but I really tried to stick with Aurelia in the middle. It was a great competition,” Cantwell said.
Seventeen-year-old Isobel Egan also delivered a remarkable performance in the U23 PR3 Women’s Single Sculls final.
Racing against Ukrainian Paralympian Dariia Kotyk, Egan kept the pressure on until the final strokes, finishing just 1.22 seconds behind the eventual Gold medallist.
The second-place finish marked a strong debut on the world stage for the young Australian.
In the blue-ribbon Men’s Eight A Final, Australia crossed the line in fourth place.
The crew went out hard and stayed in contention with the world’s best before being edged out of the medals in the final sprint. Great Britain claimed Gold in 5:29.60, followed by New Zealand and Germany.
Australia’s Men’s Four finished fifth in their A Final, holding their own in a tight field that saw the top four crews separated by less than four seconds.
And the Women’s Quad contested their A Final, placing sixth after a strong semi-final campaign.
In the Women’s Eight B Final, Australia produced a determined row to finish second behind the Netherlands.
Elsewhere in the squad, the Men’s Quad and Women’s Four both raced in B Finals, finishing outside of the top 10.
The Men’s Pair, originally scheduled to race the B Final, withdrew due to medical reasons, while the Women’s Pair were judged by the Umpire to have caused interference during the race and were excluded from their B Final.
Rowing Australia’s Head of Pathways, Jason Lane, praised the team’s effort, resilience and development across the regatta.
“Sam’s result was historic, and Romy’s race was outstanding,” Lane said. “The whole team left everything on the water.
“While not every crew got the result they were chasing, this group showed real grit. They’ve set a strong foundation for the future.”
Lane also highlighted the youth and potential of many of the athletes, several of whom are still eligible for future U23 campaigns.
“This was a stepping stone. The experience gained here will be invaluable as they move through the pathway.”
Australia finished seventh on the medal tally with one Gold and one Bronze medal.
Next up for the Aussies is the 2025 World Rowing Under 19 Championships in Trakai, Lithuania, from August 6-10.
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