PARIS – Washington Rowing alumna Jessica Thoennes '18 finished fourth in the women's pairs final Friday morning at the 2024 Olympic Games, matching the best American finish in that race category since 2000.
 
Saturday, 10 UW alumni will race for medals on the final day of the regatta.
 
A two-time NCAA gold medalist during her college career, despite only having begun to row in college, Thoennes was making her second Olympic appearance, having rowed in the U.S. eight in Tokyo. She and boatmate Azja Czajkowski made up ground late in Friday's race, moving past pairs from Greece and Lithuania to take fourth.
 
"I'm really proud of Azja and I," Thoennes told USRowing.org. "Four months ago, we were standing at (Olympic) trials, like, 'well?' I think the beauty of being in a pair with someone is the gift of seeing them grow constantly. Azja is just starting her Olympic campaign; she's starting her career, and to have that amount of grit and determination … She just came in fourth at the Olympics, in a pair, a year out of college. It is incredible for someone to do that."
 
Ten Huskies will row for medals on Saturday morning, the final day of the regatta. Simon van Dorp '20 of the Netherlands will compete in the men's single sculls final. At 2023 World Championships, he won silver.
 
The other nine will row in eight finals – six in the men's and three in the women's. Huskies will feature in three shells in each eights A final.
 
Four UW alumni are in the U.S. men's eight, which is coached by current UW head coach Michael Callahan '96 – Chris Carlson '18, Rielly Milne '18, Evan Olson '19, and Pieter Quinton '21. They'll face 2020 bronze medalist Jacob Dawson '16, competing for Great Britain, as well as Gert-Jan van Doorn '21, and his Netherlands crew, among the six-boat field
 
In the women's final, coxswain Nina Castagna '22 will guide the U.S. eight, with Holly Dunford '22 in the Great Britain crew, and Aisha Rocek '25 rowing for Italy.
 
Prior to Friday, Washington alumni had already picked up three metals during the current Games: Tabea Schendekehl '20 (bronze in Germany women's quad), Phoebe Spoors '17 (bronze in New Zealand women's four), and Logan Ullrich '25 (silver in New Zealand men's four).
 
See the full schedule of events below.

Photo courtesy of US Rowing.
 
NBC TV Viewing Information
 
CBC TV (Canada) Viewing Information
 
Washington Rowing Alumni in the 2024 Olympics
 
Men's Single – M1x
Simon van Dorp '20, Netherlands
 
Women's Pair – W2-
Jessica Thoennes '18, USA – 4^th place
 
Men's Double – M2x
Ben Davison '18, USA – 4^th place
 
Women's Four – W4-
Phoebe Spoors '17, New Zealand – Bronze medal
 
Men's Four – M4-
Logan Ullrich '23, New Zealand – Silver medal
 
Women's Quad – W4x
Teal Cohen '21, USA – 9^th place
Tabea Schendekehl '20, Germany – Bronze medal
 
Women's Eight – W8+
Nina Castagna '22, USA
Holly Dunford '22, Great Britain
Aisha Rocek '25, Italy
 
Men's Eight – M8+
Chris Carlson '18, USA
Rielly Milne '18, USA
Evan Olson '19, USA
Pieter Quinton '21, USA
Jacob Dawson '16, Great Britain
Gert-Jan van Doorn '21, Netherlands
 
Spare, PR3 Mixed Coxed Four – PR3Mix4+
Danielle Hansen '17, USA
 
Coaches
Michael Callahan '96, USA men's eight coach
Lori Dauphiny '85, USA women's pairs coach
Adrienne Martelli '10, USA women's sweep coach
 
SCHEDULE OF RACES (UW-related only)
 
Men's Single Sculls (M1x) – van Dorp
A Final: Sat., Aug. 3, 10:30 a.m. CET/1:30 a.m. PDT
 
Women's Eight (W8+) – Castagna, Dunford, Rocek
A Final: Sat., Aug. 3, 10:50 a.m. CET/1:50 a.m. PDT
 
Men's Eight (M8+)  – Carlson, Milne, Olson, Quinton, Dawson, van Doorn
A Final: Sat., Aug. 3, 11:10 a.m. CET/2:10 a.m. PDT