Ben Dukes Wins Silver at U23 World Championships

Syracuse rising senior Benjamin Dukes won a silver medal at the U23 World Rowing Championships last week in Varese, Italy. A member of the United State's men's coxed four, the Morton Grove, Ill., native earned the first international medal of his rowing career in Italy.

"This has really be just a tremendous experience for me," Dukes said. "To be able to come home from a World Championship with a silver medal is almost unreal."

Dukes and his American teammates, three Princeton student-athletes and a coxswain from Northeastern, placed second in Heat 2 just .45 seconds behind Great Britain. The Orange won the repechage by nearly five seconds to advance to the A Final with a chance to earn a medal.

Great Britain clocked in at 6:02.90 in the final while Dukes and the USA squad placed second in 6:06.13. Italy earned bronze with a time of 6:07.92.

In addition to Dukes representing the Orange overseas, incoming Syracuse oarsmen Payton Gauthier and the Canadian U23 Men's Eight crew placed third in the B Final, ninth overall, at the U23 Championships. At the U19 Championships, also held in Varese, Italy, incoming Syracuse freshman Tristan Wakefield was a member of the U.S. men's double sculls crew that finished sixth in the B Final.

The Orange men's rowing team had one of its best seasons to date in 2022. Dukes has been an integral part of the men's rowing team's success, highlighted by being a mainstay in the varsity eight that has had back-to-back top five finishes at the IRA National Championships. 'Cuse is primed for another great season in 2023, the Orange return all but one student-athlete from their top two boats from IRAs.

Syracuse University Athletics

Ben Dukes Wins Silver at U23 World Championships

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Benjamin Dukes

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