Meet Team USA’s women’s eight as they fight to regain Olympic glory

For three consecutive Olympics, the United States women’s eight dominated the rowing scene and refused to win anything other than gold. In 2008, 2012 and 2016, the Americans were Olympic champions. They even had success in Athens in 2004, where they won silver.

But at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, women failed to make the podium. It was the first time in twenty years that they left the Games empty-handed, without any equipment to take home.

After repeated defeat with a fourth-place finish at the 2022 World Rowing Championships, the Americans are taking their destiny into their own hands as they strive to return their country to the top step of the podium in just over a month at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

With a balanced mix of Olympic veterans and newcomers, only one athlete experienced the ultimate peak of Olympic glory and the contrasting trough of an empty-handed fourth place finish: Meghan Musnicki.

Three other rowers were members of the Tokyo 2020 eight, with two others having raced in the four and one who served as an alternate at previous Games.

Starting with coxswain Cristina Castagne then to recline from the racing seat, meet the nine women tasked with returning the United States to the top step of the podium at Paris 2024.

As National Olympic Committees have exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, the participation of athletes in the Paris Games depends on the selection of their NOC to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.