Dinard Captures Bronze & de Witt Claims Fourth At U23 World Rowing Championships
Jul 25 | Women's Rowing
DUISBURG, Germany – Rutgers' Louise Dinard helped France's pairs entry capture bronze at the 2026 U23 World Rowing Championships on Saturday.
Dinard, a rising senior with the RU program in her World U23 Championship debut, became the 12th medalist for the Scarlet Knights at championships under head coach Justin Price. A Scarlet Knight has medaled in every U23 World Championship since 2018.
Femke de Witt, a rising junior at Rutgers in her second World U23 Championship appearance, also reached Saturday's A final, helping her Netherland's four squad to a fourth-place performance.
On Thursday, heats got underway. Dinard and her teammate Janne Sellier placed third in their pairs heat, while de Witt was a runner-up in her fours heat, crossing less than four seconds behind Great Britain.
Both Scarlet Knights and their respective boats advanced to the A Final out of the semifinals on Friday. Dinard helped France take third in the semifinals, finishing 4.18 seconds behind the AIN boat, composed of Russian and Belarusian athletes, and was narrowly edged out of second by .03 seconds by Lithuania. De Witt and the Netherlands repeated with a second-place result in the semis, once again finishing behind the Brits by 2.57 seconds.
On Saturday, Dinard and her teammate rowed to a time of 7:22.93 in the championship for bronze in the pairs, coming in behind the second-place AIN boat by 4.79 seconds. Australia won the gold with a time of 7:08.64.
De Witt, meanwhile, was just 1.41 seconds behind third-place Spain as the Netherlands four narrowly missed the medal finish. The Netherlands crossed in 6:42.28, as Spain took bronze in 6:40.87. Great Britain took silver in 6:35.52 and the US won gold in 6:34.81.
U23 World Championship Results
Women's Pairs Heats
1. Austria – 7:49.16
2. Great Britain – 7:52.12
3. France – 7:55.86
4. Lithuania – 7:59.44
5. Brazil – 8:34.83
Women's Pairs Semifinals
1. AIN – 7:18.17
2. Lithuania – 7:22.30
3. France – 7:22.33
4. Great Britain – 7:22.65
5. Greece – 7:23.34
6. Denmark – 7:37.46
Women's Pairs A Final
1. Australia – 7:08.64
2. AIN – 7:18.14
3. France – 7:22.93
4. Lithuania – 7:25.60
5. Romania – 7:26.46
6. USA – 7:30.20
Women's Fours Heats
1. Great Britain – 7:09.05
2. Netherlands – 7:12.97
3. Romania – 7:16.67
4. Switzerland – 7:22.72
5. Germany – 7:26.93
Women's Fours Semifinals
1. Great Britain – 6:38.43
2. Netherlands – 6:41.00
3. Spain – 6:42.75
4. Australia – 6:45.05
5. Czechia – 6:49.27
6. China – 6:55.95
Women's Fours A Final
1. USA – 6:34.81
2. Great Britain – 6:35.52
3. Spain – 6:40.87
4. Netherlands – 6:42.28
5. Romania – 6:44.19
6. South Africa – 6:47.05
Follow Rutgers women's rowing on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Dinard, a rising senior with the RU program in her World U23 Championship debut, became the 12th medalist for the Scarlet Knights at championships under head coach Justin Price. A Scarlet Knight has medaled in every U23 World Championship since 2018.
Femke de Witt, a rising junior at Rutgers in her second World U23 Championship appearance, also reached Saturday's A final, helping her Netherland's four squad to a fourth-place performance.
On Thursday, heats got underway. Dinard and her teammate Janne Sellier placed third in their pairs heat, while de Witt was a runner-up in her fours heat, crossing less than four seconds behind Great Britain.
Both Scarlet Knights and their respective boats advanced to the A Final out of the semifinals on Friday. Dinard helped France take third in the semifinals, finishing 4.18 seconds behind the AIN boat, composed of Russian and Belarusian athletes, and was narrowly edged out of second by .03 seconds by Lithuania. De Witt and the Netherlands repeated with a second-place result in the semis, once again finishing behind the Brits by 2.57 seconds.
On Saturday, Dinard and her teammate rowed to a time of 7:22.93 in the championship for bronze in the pairs, coming in behind the second-place AIN boat by 4.79 seconds. Australia won the gold with a time of 7:08.64.
De Witt, meanwhile, was just 1.41 seconds behind third-place Spain as the Netherlands four narrowly missed the medal finish. The Netherlands crossed in 6:42.28, as Spain took bronze in 6:40.87. Great Britain took silver in 6:35.52 and the US won gold in 6:34.81.
U23 World Championship Results
Women's Pairs Heats
1. Austria – 7:49.16
2. Great Britain – 7:52.12
3. France – 7:55.86
4. Lithuania – 7:59.44
5. Brazil – 8:34.83
Women's Pairs Semifinals
1. AIN – 7:18.17
2. Lithuania – 7:22.30
3. France – 7:22.33
4. Great Britain – 7:22.65
5. Greece – 7:23.34
6. Denmark – 7:37.46
Women's Pairs A Final
1. Australia – 7:08.64
2. AIN – 7:18.14
3. France – 7:22.93
4. Lithuania – 7:25.60
5. Romania – 7:26.46
6. USA – 7:30.20
Women's Fours Heats
1. Great Britain – 7:09.05
2. Netherlands – 7:12.97
3. Romania – 7:16.67
4. Switzerland – 7:22.72
5. Germany – 7:26.93
Women's Fours Semifinals
1. Great Britain – 6:38.43
2. Netherlands – 6:41.00
3. Spain – 6:42.75
4. Australia – 6:45.05
5. Czechia – 6:49.27
6. China – 6:55.95
Women's Fours A Final
1. USA – 6:34.81
2. Great Britain – 6:35.52
3. Spain – 6:40.87
4. Netherlands – 6:42.28
5. Romania – 6:44.19
6. South Africa – 6:47.05
Follow Rutgers women's rowing on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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