India created history at the 2026 World Rowing Cup III as Lakshay and Ujjwal Kumar Singh led the nation to the first-ever gold medal at a World Rowing Cup event on Saturday. The Indian pair clocked a time of 6:26.09 in the Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls Final to beat Hong Kong (6:27.14) and the Netherlands (6:27.36) in a nail-biting race in Lucerne, Switzerland.
Lakshay and Ujjwal were both making their international debuts. They put up a bold performance to beat World Rowing Cup I winners Lam San Tung and Chan Tik Lung of Hong Kong. The Dutch pair ofย Erik van Eijck van Heslinga and Ferik Ploeg took the bronze.
This is a major landmark for Indian rowing as the nation had never won a gold medal at any World Rowing Cup. The tournament is a prestigious one, and it serves as a preparatory one for the World Rowing Championships, where several best pairs from the Olympic circuit and the international arena compete.ย
Lakshay, Ujjwal serving in Indian army
What stands out is that both Lakshay and Ujjwal are serving in the Indian Army. In fact, all 18 members in the Indian contingent are from the armed forces. 17 of them are from the Indian Army, with one athlete from the Indian Navy. The Indian Army Sports and Adventure took to social media to hail the two athletes for their historic win.
“Historic! India’s First Ever (Gold). Hav Lakshay and Hav Ujjwal Kumar Singh (Army Rowing Node) won Indiaโs first-ever World Rowing Cup gold in LM2x at Lucerne โ 6:26.09. Proud moment for the Indian Army and the nation!” it wrote on its social media.
Colonel Ramakrishnan, Commanding Officer, Army Rowing Node, reflected on the historic achievement, hailing the two athletes for the landmark. “This is a historic achievement for Indian rowing,” Ramakrishnan said as quoted by NDTV. “Lakshay and Ujjwal Kumar Singh have won India’s first-ever gold medal at a World Rowing Cup, showcasing the immense potential of our athletes.ย
“Their success reflects years of hard work, discipline and world-class training at the Army Rowing Node. This victory is a proud moment for the Indian Army and the Nation, and we hope it inspires many more young athletes to pursue excellence in rowing and contribute towards India’s Olympic aspirations.”
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