Rowing trio brings home Commonwealth Championship medals

The University of St Andrews is celebrating a remarkable achievement after three of its rowers returned from the 2025 Commonwealth Rowing Association Beach Sprints Championships in Barbados with medals.

Held on the stunning sands of Brownes Beach, Bridgetown, the event brought together 57 athletes from 14 Commonwealth nations, providing an excellent development opportunity for rowers aiming for future Olympic success.

All three St Andrews athletes representing Scotland returned home with medals:

• Harris Bisset (3rd year BSc Computer Science) – Silver in the U21 Coastal Men’s Solo (CU21M1x)
• Hansine Marshall (MSc Artificial Intelligence, 2025) and Tom Mitchell – Bronze in the Coastal Mixed Double Sculls (CMix2x)

This achievement highlights the rapid rise of St Andrews rowers on the international stage. Hansine and Tom, have already made headlines this season, claiming gold in the Senior Mixed Double (CMix2x) at the Home International Beach Sprints Regatta in September – earning their first Scotland Rowing Team vests – anddebuting for Great Britain at the 2025 European Rowing Coastal and Beach Sprint Championships in Antalya, Turkey in October.

Harris Bisset continues his impressive trajectory, adding Commonwealth silver to his gold medal at the 2025 British Rowing Beach Sprint Championships having previously represented Scotland at the 2023 Home International Beach Sprint Regatta.

Scotland’s team was managed by Ailsa Martin (MA International Relations, 2022), a familiar face in St Andrews sport as a former Athletic Union President and University Boat Club President, reinforcing the strong St Andrews connection at the heart of the Scottish Rowing success.

Director of Rowing, Lewis McCue said: ““We are incredibly proud of Harris, Hansine, and Tom for their outstanding performances on the world stage, and we’re excited to see what they will go on to achieve in the future. Their success reflects the hard work and ambition within our programme. It’s equally inspiring to see Ailsa Martin, a former St Andrews student and Boat Club President, playing such a key role in shaping the sport at the highest level. These achievements highlight the strength of the St Andrews rowing community and its growing impact internationally.”

The University of St Andrews continues to play a key role in developing Scottish and GB athletes through its coastal rowing programme, which delivers vital training via the GB Beach Sprint Performance Development Academy and its designation as a Satellite Olympic Training Centre. Delivered in partnership with Scottish Rowing, British Rowing, and sportscotland, the Academy offers world-class facilities and expertise, creating clear pathways for athletes to excel at the highest level and reinforcing the University’s growing national impact.