Success for Brits at the 2024 World Rowing Indoor Championships

British athletes won 15 gold, 16 silver, and 20 bronze medals after racing both virtually and in person in Prague, Czechia on 23-24 February

Over 2000 participants from more than 50 nations competed in the 2000m, 500m, team competitions and Versa Challenge.

GB Paralympic pathway athletes Jake Woods (right) and Ben Gallagher both came away from the competition as World and European champions, after securing their gold medals in the PR1 and PR3 Men’s 2000m respectively.

Age was no limit at the competition, as both the youngest and oldest GB competitors produced superb results. 96-year-old Val Coleman continued to break World Best Times as she set a new record of 2:57.8 in the 95-99 Women’s 500m. Having won gold in the Men’s eight at the 2023 World Rowing U19 Championships, Alp Karadogan also won the Men’s U17 2000m after crossing the line in 05:55.9.

Husband and wife duo Rod Chinn and Carol Woodward had a successful trip to Prague. Carol won the Lightweight Women’s 65-69 2000m by more than 20 seconds and Rod timed his race to perfection, snatching a silver medal in the last strokes of the Lightweight Men’s 65-69 2000m.

Kathryn Mole led the Women’s 23-39 2000m event through the opening quarter of the race. However, the University of Birmingham student was then edged back into bronze medal position by two of the home favourites, Pavlína Flamíková and Anna Šantrůčková.

Britain was also well represented in the World Rowing Versa Challenge, the new racing medley which varies in time, distance, and type. Now in its second year of competition, it offers an opportunity for athletes to test all their indoor rowing skills and experiences in unfamiliar race formats.

In the Men’s Versa, ex-GB rower and YouTuber Cam Buchan won the ‘Sprint Pyramid’, and took the silver medal overall.

In the Women’s Versa, last year’s silver medalist Charlotte Dixon and British Olympic silver medalist Jess Eddie finished second and third respectively. Dixon topped the ‘Pace and Power’ challenge as well as the ‘Sprint Pyramid’ before winning her silver medal overall.

Eddie, who won silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics said: “I was asked to race in the Versa as a wildcard, and the event totally blew me away! It was a real test of endurance, skill and sprinting, which culminated in a final ranked ‘chase.’

“I had some ground to make up for setting off fourth and was totally thrilled to make it into the bronze medal position. The groups from around the world were so much fun and it was a real privilege to compete against this talented bunch.”

Full results

British Medalists

Gold

Alp Karadogan – M U17 2000m (05:55.9)
Jim Berriman – M 40-44 2000m (05:58.2)
Andrew Sangster – M 60-64 (2000m) (06:36.8)
Richard Stout – M 70-74 (2000m) (07:00.1)
Jake Woods – M PR1 (2000m) (07:41.2)
Ben Gallagher – M PR3 (2000m) (06:23.6)
Matthew West – M 50-54 (500m) (01:17.7)
John Scott – M 60-64 (500m) (01:23.2)
Richard Stout – M 70-74 (500m) (01:28.8)
Kirsty Joisce – W 50-54 (2000m) (07:23.3)
Justine Reston – LW 50-54 (2000m) (07:31.7)
Carol Woodward – LW 65-69 (2000m) (08:15.8)
Celia Whittam – W 65-69 (500m) (01:49.5)
Carol Woodward – LW 65-69 (500m) (01:49.2)
Bett Osborne – LW 75-79 (500m) (02:04.0)

Silver

James Wade – M 40-44 (2000m) (06:06.0)
Toby Clay – M 50-54 (2000m) (06:18.7)
John Scott – M 60-64 (2000m) (06:41.2)
Rod Chinn – LM 65-69 (2000m) (07:18.0)
Graham Spittle – M 75-79 (2000m) (07:55.4)
Thomas Wilson – M 23-39 (500m) (01:13.3)
Collin Leiba – M 60-64 (500m) (01:23.6)
Raymond McAvoy – M 65-69 (500m) (01:29.5)
Samantha Ayers – LW 50-54 (2000m) (01:42.6)
Claire Wells – W 55-59 (2000m) (07:41.5)
Amanda Calvert – LW 60-64 (2000m) (07:55.6)
Bett Osborne – LW 75-79 (2000m) (09:33.3)
Laura Allen – LW 23-39 (500m) (01:39.1)
Sally Lancaster – W 40-44 (500m) (01:32.1)
Charlotte Dixon – World Rowing Versa Challenge
Cameron Buchan – World Rowing Versa Challenge

Bronze

Sam Blythe – M 45-49 (2000m) (06:10.9)
Kevin Sheppard – LM 45-49 (2000m) (06:44.5)
Gary Curtis – LM 55-59 (2000m) (06:45.8)
Chris John – M 65-69 (2000m) (06:57.5)
Evan Coffey – M 21-22 (500m) (01:20.7)
Chris Scott – M 23-39 (500m) (01:15.2)
Shaun Callaghan – LM 55-59 (500m) (01:29.7)
Maria Giulia Costagliola – W U17 (2000m) (07:20.5)
Kathryn Mole – W 23-39 (2000m) (06:50.5)
Jackie Hamer – LW 55-59 (2000m) (08:01.7)
Clare Rainbow – LW 60-64 (2000m) (08:26.2)
Suzanne Briggs – LW 65-69 (2000m) (08:48.9)
Maria Giulia Costagliola – W U17 (500m) (01:36.5)
Catherine James – LW 19-20 (500m) (01:51.3)
Kirsty Joisce – W 50-54 (500m) (01:39.4)
Andrea Dixon – LW 55-59 (500m) (01:47.4)
Kerry Pottinger – W 60-64 (500m) (01:55.2)
Clare Rainbow -LW 60-64 (500m)  (01:50.9)
Carol Alker – LW 65-69 (500m) (01:58.5)
Jess Eddie – World Rowing Versa Challenge