Greek Olympic gold medallist Stefanos Ntouskos has written another page of history, winning the men’s single sculls final at the World Rowing Championships in Shanghai with a stunning performance.
The 27-year-old rower, who claimed Olympic gold in Tokyo four years ago, executed a masterful race strategy. He sat third at the 500-metre mark and moved into second by 1,000 metres. From there, Ntouskos launched a decisive push, surging into the lead by 1,500 metres and holding on to cross the line first in 6 minutes 36.75 seconds.
Germany’s Oliver Zeidler, who had led until the 1,400-metre mark, was forced to settle for silver just 0.42 seconds behind (6:37.17), while Belarusian Yauheni Zalaty took bronze in 6:38.60.
Ntouskos’s gold medal is Greece’s first ever in men’s single sculls at a World Rowing Championships, and the nation’s first gold in any boat class since 2014.
His victory echoes the brilliance of his Olympic triumph in Tokyo, once again showcasing his ability to time his attack to perfection and withstand fierce competition in the closing stages.
Speaking to Greek broadcaster ERT moments after crossing the finish line, an emotional Ntouskos said:
“I believed it. I’m exhausted and I want to thank everyone who supports me in this journey. I’m so happy, I have no words. The race went exactly as I planned and at 1,000 metres I believed even more. I stayed patient and in the last 150 metres I gave everything I had. It’s unbelievable. I hope I gave some joy to Greece and to all Greeks.”
He added with a smile: “The East suits me, it’s the golden East. I felt I was going for gold. I hope I can be an example for young kids. We may be a small country and others may look like giants, but in the end it’s the Greek soul that counts. When you reach the top, it’s something unique, something overwhelming. My goal now is to stay grounded, keep working, and be in top condition for an Olympic medal in Los Angeles.”
