The rowing schedule for the Paris 2024 Games remained consistent with the Tokyo 2020 edition (which was postponed to the following year due to the Covid). In this Parisian version, the competition featured an equal number of categories for men and women, with seven in each. 

A total of 42 medals were awarded, with 16 going to Dutch (four gold, three silver, and one bronze) and British (three gold, two silver, and three bronze) federations combined. Romania, without a prior invitation, made its mark on the podium with two golds and three silvers.

As is well known, rowing, like canoeing, uses a lightweight boat, but differs in that rowers face backward from the direction of the boat. The events for the Paris 2024 Olympics included both men's and women's categories in two rowing disciplines. First, sweep rowing, where each athlete uses a single oar: Coxless pairs, Coxless fours, and Eights with coxswains.

On the other hand, Sculling involves rowers using two oars placed on opposite sides of the boat: Single sculls, Double sculls, Lightweight double sculls (with weight restrictions), and Quadruple sculls.

After three years of transition and a subdued atmosphere during Tokyo 2020, it was spectacular to see thousands of rowing fans roar once again this summer. The electrifying atmosphere at Vaires-sur-Marne was palpable in every moment of tension, in every race throughout the eight days of competition.

The heat of the stands

Many rowers commented on the difference made by fan support, particularly those who competed in Tokyo three years ago and this time, after overcoming the global pandemic, in Paris 2024.

“I didn’t expect to feel this way. Personally, I thought it would feel like another world championship, but everyone has raised their game and the atmosphere is just incredible,” said Jackie Kiddle of New Zealand’s lightweight women’s double sculls team in an interview.

Rowing, like any other sport, is always better when thousands of fans push athletes to their limits from the stands.The synergy experienced in Paris was missed during Tokyo. This edition was as magical as it was agonizing.

The ideal setting was the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium. This complex, opened in 2019 in Seine-et-Marne, just outside Paris, revived the excitement of rowing events, creating stories that will be remembered for decades when 'rowing' and 'Paris 2024' come up in conversation.

From Tokyo to Paris: resilience

After the disappointment of Tokyo 2020, two redemption stories shone in Paris. Emily Craig and Imogen Grant, who missed a medal in the lightweight women’s double sculls by just 0.01 seconds, came back stronger. 

Since Tokyo, they had been undefeated and in Paris, they finally became Olympic champions, surpassing Romania by 1.72 seconds with a spectacular comeback worthy of a film director's best work.

In the final event, German Olli Zeidler, who failed to reach the final in Tokyo and had to settle for the B Final (7th to 9th place), became the Olympic champion in men’s single sculls in Paris. After setting a new Olympic record in the semifinals, he led the final with over five seconds to spare. 

The German icon showed that one should never give up on dreams, despite past failures that almost led him to "quit the sport," as he later confessed after the Tokyo 2020 Games.

Genetics: a key to victory

In the Paris 2024 regatta, sibling competition was a highlight, with five family pairs winning medals. The most iconic, the Sinkovic brothers, Martin and Valent, defended their Olympic title in men’s pairs, becoming the most decorated Olympic athletes in their country's history.

The family dynamic also flowed through the New Zealand team, where Kerri Williams, with her sister Jackie in the women’s four, won a bronze for the Kiwis. Surprisingly, that same day, her teammate Phoebe Spoors watched as her sister Lucy won gold in the women’s double sculls, adding even more lustre to New Zealand's day.

Great Britain, in its ongoing quest to make history, was the only nation to win medals in both the men’s and women’s eights, with a Ford family member on board each boat. Emily won bronze in the women’s eight, while her brother Tom won gold in the men’s eight.

On the other hand, Dutch siblings Finn Florijn and Karolien Florijn achieved a unique feat. Finn won gold in the men’s quadruple sculls, while his sister Karolien repeated the success in the women’s single sculls, cementing her status as an Olympic champion and a total icon in women’s rowing.

The untouchable Oranje dynasty, British ascent and Romanian surprise

Indeed, the Netherlands shone in Olympic rowing in Paris, claiming four gold medals with overwhelming style. This was especially evident in the women’s pair, Ymkje Clevering and Veronique Meester, who have been rowing together since 2016. Their mastery was absolute, as was his understanding, winning their heats with margins of over four seconds in each round, making them the most unstoppable crew of the regatta.

As mentioned, Karolien Florijn is rowing history. Undefeated since her debut in the category, the Dutchwoman has accumulated world and European titles, and in Paris, continued her winning streak. Her success was recognized with the "Gold Oar" this year and an Olympic gold in Paris, highlighting her global dominance.

Although both the Netherlands and Great Britain achieved the same number of medals, the Dutch took the rowing crown due to their four golds. This remarkable achievement reflects the tireless efforts of the team led by Puck Van Hasselt and the entire coaching staff, contributing to eight of the 17 total Dutch medals in Paris coming from rowing.

A fresh start for LA28

The most notable comeback of Paris 2024 was Great Britain, which rose from a modest 14th place in Tokyo 2020 to a remarkable 2nd place in the recent French edition. This year, the British team made a statement with three golds, two silvers, and three bronzes.

Between Great Britain and Australia, a shift in roles seems to have occurred. The Aussies, who finished second in Tokyo, dropped drastically to 12th place in Paris, securing only a bronze.

In total, fifteen nations took home medals from Paris, a decrease from the 17 victorious countries in Tokyo. Notably, France, the host country, failed to secure any medals in rowing, matching its worst performance since 1992.

This suggests that, aside from the Netherlands and Great Britain, other countries are either climbing to the heights of rowing or falling to the depths. The upcoming four-year cycle promises many changes, both in the elite of the sport, with promising nations like Romania and Ireland, and in the rules.

For Los Angeles 28, it’s planned that the regattas will take place over a shortened distance of 1,500 metres instead of 2,000 metres. However, this is "a decision unique to adapt to the specific context of Los Angeles," recently assured Jean-Christophe Rolland, President of the International Federation.

For the nostalgic, it's time to cheer up. Yes, we’ve just bid farewell to eight wonderful days in Paris. Though now it’s time to prepare the confetti and party favors for the start of the Paralympic Regatta, which will debut on 30 August and close on 1 September, 2024.