Statement from Head Coach Marco Galeone : "U23 World Rowing Championships, Duisburg"

The U23 World Rowing Championships in Duisburg have been an important learning experience for our young Swedish athletes.

While the overall results did not meet the standards we are aiming for, they also showed encouraging signs for the future of Swedish rowing. Both the BM2x and BW2- crews competed in the C Finals. We have to be honest: competing in the C Final is not where we want to be. As a national team, we must continue to raise our level and strive for stronger performances at World Championship level. That is the expectation we set for ourselves. At the same time, it is important to recognize the progress these athletes have made. They are growing significantly in both capacity and technical quality, and this championship is only one step in their long-term development.

For the men's double sculls, the result was certainly below our expectations. They faced an exceptionally strong and competitive heat, which made the path to the higher finals extremely challenging. Nevertheless, throughout the season they have made substantial improvements in both their ergometer performances and their technical execution. These gains are very real, and we are confident they will become an important part of shaping our future senior national team as we build towards Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032.

The women's pair also represents an exciting step forward. Together with our Sport Chief, Peo Claesson, we have opened a new channel of cooperation with Swedish athletes based overseas. Jackie and Viktoria, who are studying and training at Harvard University, are the first example of this project. We have established a very positive collaboration with Harvard to support their development while integrating them into the Swedish national team programme. We believe this approach can strengthen our athlete recruitment and broaden the future of Swedish rowing. I would also like to express my sincere thanks to Johan Lidberg, who guided these athletes through their final preparation and throughout the World Championships. His commitment and professionalism have been greatly appreciated.

It was unfortunate that we were unable to see Erik Källström compete in the men's single sculls after illness forced him to withdraw during the final preparation camp. It was a disappointing setback for both Erik and the team, but we look forward to seeing him back in competition soon. Our young athletes have shown commitment, resilience and a willingness to improve. While these results are not the destination we are working towards, they are part of the process of building a stronger Swedish rowing programme. We will continue to work with ambition, honesty and determination to achieve higher standards in the years ahead.

Regards

Marco Galeone