“It took just 500 metres for me to know: this time it’s gold.” At the end of September 2025 in Shanghai, Kathrin Marchand proved herself right, winning the World Championship title in the double sculls alongside Valentin Luz and clocking a new world best time.
It marks another milestone in an already long list of achievements: Junior World Champion at 17, first U23 gold at 20 in Amsterdam, European Championship medals, and two Olympic appearances with top-10 finishes.
At the same time, she completed her medical degree and began working as a doctor in Cologne in 2018. The reality was demanding: overtime, night shifts, constant pressure to perform. Unlike in sport, she couldn’t decide for herself when enough was enough.
Elite sport and medicine: pushing too hard for too long
After suffering a stroke in September 2021, she realised something had to change. She stepped away from her profession entirely for eight months, reassessed her priorities and made lasting changes.
Today, she works much less: initially part-time, now on a freelance basis. Perceptual disturbances on her left side remain, her field of vision is restricted and her body tires more quickly. Her focus is now on what truly matters to her: sport – with full control over her own workload.
Kathrin Marchand on Cologne: plenty of sport, not enough support
Cologne has a lot to offer her: training facilities, space to stay active and the freedom to structure her days on her own terms. Yet there is one area where she would like to see more. In her view, elite sport doesn’t get enough support. More investment in sports facilities would make it easier for young people to get started and make training far more appealing. “Much more could be invested in sports facilities so that young people actually feel motivated to train there – in some places you can’t even take a warm shower.”
“People are always surprised – but water just isn’t really my element.”
Rowing champion Kathrin Marchand
Money is another issue. Many elite athletes win medals and still struggle to make a living – especially when full-time jobs are unrealistic alongside training, competitions and recovery. From Kathrin’s point ov view, this is also a missed opportunity for Cologne: talent needs platforms, not roadblocks.
Eyes on Milan: Winter Paralympics from 6 March
But she can’t be held back anyway. Rowing is no longer her only passion, she has also discovered cross-country skiing. Most of her training now takes place on roller skis, on the asphalt paths around Fühlinger See. In March, she will compete at the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Milan. In doing so, she becomes the first athlete ever to complete the triple: appearances at the Olympic Summer Games (London 2012 and Rio 2016), the Paralympic Summer Games (Paris 2024) and the Paralympic Winter Games (Milan 2026).
It’s a side of her that also inspires her followers on social media. With her optimistic outlook, she keeps setting herself new goals – and reaches them, driven by determination and resilience.
Fühlinger See, the Rhine, a park bench: her places to recharge
When temperatures rise, she returns to the boat more often. Her favourite spot is Fühlinger See. Fun fact: swimming just isn’t her thing. “People are always surprised – but water just isn’t really my element. On the water, yes – but not in it.”
In Cologne, switching off comes easy: walks along the Rhine or through the Stadtwald, coffee with friends on the Rhine steps or in Beethovenpark. Parties are not really her scene. “It doesn’t exactly go well with elite sport.” And when she wants to be by the water without training, she heads to Decksteiner Weiher in the outer green belt – the city’s largest artificial lake and a calm retreat during breaks between training sessions.
Cologne – home and reset button
For Kathrin, returning to Cologne after competitions carries the quiet comfort of coming home. She enjoys the openness of the people here. “You might end up chatting at the supermarket checkout instead of everyone quietly going about their own business. I love that Rhineland easygoing vibe.”
For her, Cologne is the place where performance and everyday life go hand in hand, and where she resets before setting off on her next adventure.
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