Golden Finish: U.S National Team Earns 2 Golds, 2 Bronzes at World Rowing Championships

The U.S. departs the World Rowing Championships with two world champion boats and two bronze medals. On the last day of competition, Olympian Lauren O'Connor finished fourth in the women's single sculls B Final. In the mixed eight, the crew finished fourth, just shy of the podium. In the mixed double sculls, Olympian Jacob Plihal and Katy Flynn finished seventh overall. 

The U.S. captured world titles in the lightweight women’s single sculls and the women’s four, the first senior World Championship golds for all five athletes. The women’s pair and men’s eight added bronze in courageous performances, with the men battling stroke for stroke against reigning Olympic champions Great Britain, and the women’s pair delivering a thrilling come-from-behind finish.

The U.S. showed significant progress in the sculling events, with the men’s quadruple sculls making history by finishing fourth — the nation’s best result in the event since 1998. Across the squad, there was a strong mix of veteran Olympians and emerging talent: the women’s four featured three Olympians and a first-time senior athlete, while the men’s eight included five returning athletes and four rising stars.

“Shanghai was a solid first step in our campaign to LA28,” said Josy Verdonkschot, The McLane Family Chief High Performance Officer. “We met our performance targets in a number of A Finals and medals in the Olympic boat classes -bringing home two golds is obviously a great feeling. There is some disappointment about our performance in the Paralympic events. We know we need to improve, but actually, that goes for the entire team. That is part of high-performance. And part of our ambition for Los Angeles.”

In the women’s single sculls event, Olympian Lauren O’Connor finished 10th overall in her debut in the event. O’Connor started strong in the first half of the race, putting her bow in second place. She had a tight battle with South Africa in the middle of the race, but was unable to hold her off. In the last 500 meters, Belgium’s explosive sprint kept her from the top three. She finished fourth in the B Final. 

Lauren O’Connor, who competed in the quadruple sculls at the 2024 Olympics, spoke about what she learned racing in the event, “I learned that it's so much of a mental game and I think I knew that a little bit coming in, but going into it, you know, it's such a strong field. Especially the year after the Olympics, you never really know who's gonna come out and be swinging really hard. It's a lot of fun, there are some really awesome people in the event…I have a lot of room to grow. I learned that, so that's what I'm looking forward to being able to do over the next couple of years.”

The mixed events made their debut at this year’s World Championships, providing new opportunities for the U.S.. In the mixed double sculls, Jacob Plihal and Katy Flynn finished seventh overall after winning the B Final in 6:46.15. The duo found their rhythm after the opening race, taking control early and leading their B Final from start to finish.

In the mixed eight, the Americans opened with an impressive heat win, advancing directly to the A Final. In a fiercely contested race for the medals, the U.S. battled stroke for stroke down the course before finishing just off the podium in 5:42.69. Romania ultimately took the gold.

Across the board, Team USA showcased depth, determination, and a glimpse of the future as rising athletes made their mark on the world stage. Next on the calendar are the 2025 Beach Sprint Finals, taking place November 6–9 in Antalya, Turkey. With just three years until LA 2028, this exciting new discipline will be one to watch, especially as reigning world champion Chris Bak looks to defend his title.

USRowing would like to thank Filippi Lido, the Official Boat Supplier for the U.S. Senior and Para Rowing National Teams. Under the agreement, Filippi is providing USRowing a fleet of boats for international competitions, including the World Rowing Cup regattas, World Rowing Championships, Olympic Games, and Paralympic Games, as well as a domestic training fleet for the USRowing Training Centers.