The 2026 World Rowing Championships closed at the Bosbaan in Amsterdam with the Netherlands finishing as the most successful nation and Ireland collecting two more silver medals on the final day.

BBC Sport reported that Ireland’s Konan Pazzaia and Margaret Cremen were second in the mixed double sculls behind the Dutch crew, while Fiona Murtagh also took silver in the women’s single sculls after being beaten by Great Britain’s Lauren Henry. Those results brought Ireland’s week to a close with a gold and two silvers, placing the team seventh in the medal table.

For Ireland, the final day underlined both progress and frustration. Cremen’s silver added to the gold she had already won earlier in the championships in the women’s double sculls alongside Zoe Hyde, giving her a second podium finish from the same regatta. Pazzaia’s result was another sign of his growing importance in Ireland’s sculling program after an international run that has already included under-23 medals and a European bronze.

Murtagh’s silver was perhaps the most high-profile Irish result of the day. The reigning world champion had been aiming to defend her title, but Henry reversed last year’s result and took gold. Olympic champion Karolien Florijn of the Netherlands finished third, adding to the home nation’s strong showing across the event.

The bigger picture belonged to the Dutch, who topped the medal table with four golds, three silvers and one bronze. That home advantage mattered in Amsterdam, where the local crews were able to turn familiar water into medal-winning performances. The packet says the Netherlands were the most successful team with four gold medals and ten medals overall, a total that underlines how well the host nation managed the week.

Great Britain also finished strongly, with Hannah Scott and Finnola Stratton taking silver in the women’s quad sculls to help their team to fifth place on the final table. Their results, together with Henry’s win, showed that the final day was not only about Ireland and the Netherlands but about a tight contest among the sport’s leading rowing nations.

For Ireland, the final Sunday was both a consolation and confirmation that the squad can reach championship finals consistently. Two silvers on the last day meant the team left Amsterdam with three medals overall, including a world title from Cremen and Hyde earlier in the week. That is a solid return, but the evidence also makes clear that the Irish crews were often chasing the Dutch and British boats rather than leading them.

The championships therefore ended with a familiar mix of individual success and national depth. Ireland’s best results came in boats with medal potential from the start, while the Netherlands used home conditions to dominate the table. For rowers and coaches, that combination is usually the clearest sign of where the sport’s competitive balance currently sits.