AMSTERDAM, Netherlands – Stanford men’s rowing alumnus Peter Chatain won gold in the men’s four and bronze in the mixed eight with the United States at the 2026 World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam.
In the four, the United States settled into fourth in the opening 500 meters before beginning to move through the field. The world title came down to the final 250, as the Americans battled the Netherlands for gold. The U.S. surged ahead in the closing meters to win in 5:41.57, just 0.27 seconds ahead of the hosts.
A bronze medalist in the eight at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the victory marked the first senior World Championship title for Chatain. It also was the first time the U.S. men’s and women’s fours won gold at the same World Rowing Championships. The women’s four included Stanford alumna Azja Czajkowski.
Those two boats combined in the mixed eight where the U.S. and Romania established themselves at the front through the first half before Romania moved ahead in the third 500 meters. The Netherlands challenged the U.S. late, with the silver medal decided by 0.19 seconds. Romania won gold in 5:35.75, followed by the Netherlands in 5:38.42 and the U.S. in 5:38.61.
James Wright also finished sixth in the men’s quadruple sculls and James Fetter was 19th in the double sculls.