Ben Pritchard: Welsh Para-rower eyes world title defence after Euro win

Pritchard, the BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year for 2025, and his Great Britain team-mates have stayed at Varese to complete their preparations for the World Rowing Championships, that take place from 24-30 August at Amsterdam’s Bosbaan venue.

“I always feel that this this camp is where we get the most speed,” said Pritchard.

“We do a load of speed work in this last block now for the world championships, so I’m hoping that that’ll set me in good stead for the future.

“I have just seen my competitor Erik Horrie from Australia training this morning, and he looks really fast as well. So hopefully we can get a good race but it’s an outdoor sport – anything could happen.

“But it’s going to be nice to be out on the Bosbaan in Amsterdam because the Welsh men’s hockey team and ladies’ team have got their World champs as well, so I’m going to hopefully get across and watch some of their games too.”

Pritchard is one of Para-rowing’s dominant forces. Since winning gold at the 2024 Paralympics he has set multiple world records in his event and added the 2025 European and world crowns to his tally.

He says he went to Italy with added desire to succeed after his Swansea coach Andrew Williams lost his father.

“It was a big one and an emotional one, but gave you the actual motivation when the going got tough in the race, that’s for sure,” he said.

However, Pritchard was comfortable facing and beating Perini on his home waters, saying: “I think it’s more my home water than his.

“You know, we’re in his home country, but as a team, we come here twice a year to train and spend two weeks of time here, so I’ve been coming here now for nine years.

“It feels like a home to me, and the club members know me and all that kind of stuff, so I feel that actually I had a good share of the support in the stands.”