Podium finishes and plenty of potential as Bath students and alumni impress selectors at 2026 GB Rowing Team Final Trials

14 April 2026

Past and present University of Bath-based athletes excelled at the GB Rowing Team Final Trials 2026, which took place over the weekend at the National Training Centre in Caversham.

The South West GB Performance Development Academy (PDA), based at the University since 2003, has one purpose: to develop future Olympic rowers. This past weekend showed the strength and depth of the programme, which has been producing rowing legends for decades including four-time Olympian Helen Glover.

PDA alumni Cedol Daffyd, who started rowing in 2021 after spotting a stand at the Sports Fair as a Bath fresher, won the men’s double sculls for a second successive year. He is a reigning European Rowing Champion and a World Rowing silver medallist after a glittering 2025 season where he medalled at every international competition he raced.

“I’m so happy to get back to back wins at April trials and to do it today with Tobias [Schröder] was epic,” said Daffyd, who studied Sport Management and Coaching. “This is the most intense testing we do in the year. You are racing your teammates, you’re at your home base, there’s other members coming in to try and beat you, and we also have to prove why we’re in the team. It’s a great weekend and now we can enjoy racing as a team, not against the team!”

Fellow PDA alumni Jamie Gare, who joined the senior GB Rowing Team last year, placed third overall with partner James Cartwright.

Becky Wilde is one of the University’s most decorated sporting alumni of recent years, following up her bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games with European gold and World silver in 2025.

The 2026 Trials saw the former sporting scholar place second overall with Lola Anderson in the women’s double, one place ahead of current Sport and Exercise Science student Rebekah Court and partner Ellie Dash from the South West Satellite Academy at Hartpury (pictured top).

Court represented GB three times last summer, placing third at the Schleswig-Holstein Netz Cup, fourth at the World University Games and winning gold at the European University Rowing Championships.

“It feels really good to start the season like this,” she said. “It’s a credit to the double and to Ellie, and the work we’ve put in. It shows what consistency and grit can deliver, and big thanks to the South West GB Performance Development Academy and our coaches for their support.”

Tom Selby is Performance Development Coach at the South West Academy and coached the crew to their third-placed finish.

Tom said: “Being able to coach Rebekah and Ellie during our Belgium training camp, where we brought together athletes across Performance Development Academy centres, was a great opportunity to connect and build as a crew. Over the last three weeks, they built strong confidence and genuine belief heading into the Trials, with clear intent to push for the A Final. Coaching them through that period and seeing the energy, professionalism, and positivity they brought to each session was a key factor in delivering the bronze medal outcome.”

Aerospace Engineering student Toluwani Adelaja was also invited to race Final Trials, an incredibly impressive feat just 17 months after being talent spotted by the Academy. She was the only U21 female athlete in attendance at Trials and placed 10th overall alongside partner Louise Brookes of the Yorkshire PDA.

GB Performance Development Academies recruit individuals with no rowing experience and develop them into athletes with Olympic potential. Anyone who meets age and height requirements can test to join the Academy.

Testing is open to individuals between the ages of 14-22 above 5ft 8in (176cm) for females and 6ft 2in (188cm) for males. Click here to apply for Olympic talent testing through the British Rowing website.

Picture credits: AllMarkOne | Benedict Tufnell for British Rowing