Bring on Amsterdam, Part II: Para Rowers Set to Shine on the Bosbaan

Para Rowing’s world-class field is ready to take centre stage in Amsterdam, with reigning Paralympic and world champions facing determined challengers across five events. From Anna Sheremet’s bid to defend her PR1 women’s single sculls title to Great Britain’s remarkable unbeaten run in the PR3 mixed coxed four, the racing promises a compelling mix of established champions, emerging talent, and the possibility of a surprise or two.

PR1 Women’s Single Sculls (PR1 W1x)

• 10 entries
• Reigning Paralympic champion: Moran Samuel, Israel
• Reigning world champion: Anna Sheremet, Ukraine
• World Best Time: 09:47.83, set by Birgit Skarstein of Norway in 2023

Did you know … Brazil’s Claudia dos Santos made her international debut in 2007 and was one of the first Paralympic rowers in 2008 – meaning she has been competing longer than Egypt’s 17-year-old Malak Ghanem has been alive.

Ukrainian Anna Sheremet won her first world gold in Shanghai last year after two previous bronze medals, and based on her dominance at World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne and the 2026 European Rowing Championships is set to retain that title. Eva Mol (NED) and Claire Ghiringhelli (SUI) took silver and bronze, respectively, at the European Championships. Meanwhile, Brazil’s dos Santos and China’s Wang Lili are flying the flag for non-European nations – can they break onto the podium?

PR1 Men’s Single Sculls (PR1 M1x)

• 14 entries
• Reigning Paralympic champion: Benjamin Pritchard, Great Britain
• Reigning world champion: Benjamin Pritchard, Great Britain
• World Best Time: 08:50.38, set by Roman Polianskyi of Ukraine in 2023

Did you know … Benjamin Pritchard broke the PR1 indoor world record earlier this year, rowing 2000m on the ergometer in an astonishing 06:56.7.

The stage is set in Amsterdam for another showdown between the three great Ps of men’s para-rowing – Benjamin Pritchard, Roman Polianskyi and Giacomo Perini (ITA). But, as usual, Erik Horrie (AUS) will hope to break up the Ps on the podium. Perini challenged Pritchard hard at the 2026 European Rowing Championships, and Horrie tried a similar strategy at World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne, but neither could beat Pritchard’s second-half power.

PR2 Mixed Double Sculls (PR2 Mix2x)

• 13 entries
• Reigning Paralympic champions: Lauren Rowles and Gregg Stevenson, Great Britain
• Reigning world champions: Liu Shuang and Jiang Jijian, China
• World Best Time: 07:56.92, set by Lauren Rowles and Gregg Stevenson of Great Britain in 2024

Did you know … This event features the regatta’s oldest competitors: 59-year-old Daniele Stefanoni (ITA) and 58-year-old Oksana Gromova (LAT)

Almost the entire field from the 2025 world final return for Amsterdam, including unchanged line-ups for the three medallist crews – China, Germany and Israel. China has not competed since Shanghai, but Liu Shuang and Jiang Jijian have lots of experience at the world and Paralympic level and will always be contenders. Jasmina Umbach and Paul Bier (GER) are the 2026 European champions, while Ukraine looked good taking European silver ahead of Israel in Varese.

PR3 Mixed Double Sculls (PR3 Mix2x)

• 10 entries
• Reigning Paralympic champions: Nikki Ayers and Jed Altschwager, Australia
• Reigning world champions: Valentin Luz and Katrin Marchand, Germany
• World Best Time: 06:58.64, set by Valentin Luz and Katrin Marchand of Germany in 2025

Did you know … Katrin Marchand is the only athlete to have competed at both the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games (in rowing) and the Winter Paralympic Games (in cross-country skiing).

An upset in the PR3 mixed double sculls looks surprising at this point: Valentin Luz and Katrin Marchand have been dominant in all their recent races, continuing to set lightning-quick times. As in 2025, their chief rivals appear to be Ukraine’s married couple of Stanislav Samoliuk and Dariia Kotyk, the world and European silver medallists. Look out for the two young duos in this event: China, who are 17 and 19, and Uzbekistan, who are 17 and 16 years old.

PR3 Mixed Coxed Four (PR3 Mix4+)

• 12 entries
• Reigning Paralympic champions: Francesca Allen, Giedre Rakauskaite, Joshua O’Brien, Edward Fuller and Erin Kennedy, Great Britain
• Reigning world champions: Francesca Allen, Giedre Rakauskaite, Edward Fuller, Joshua O’Brien and Tom Bryce, Great Britain
• World Best Time: 06:43.68, set by Francesca Allen, Giedre Rakauskaite, Joshua O’Brien, Edward Fuller and Erin Kennedy of Great Britain in 2024

Did you know … The 12 fastest times in history in this event have been set by British crews, and Great Britain has not been beaten in the PR3 mixed coxed four at a major championship since 2010.

Will Amsterdam be yet another year of dominance for Great Britain in the PR3 mixed coxed four? Three of their crew are new since 2025, but they were still too fast for the rest of the field at the 2026 European Rowing Championships. Of the non-European crews, the USA won World Cup III in Lucerne—and was not slow to do so—and could challenge the Brits.