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Natalie Weber’s rowing unisuit is brand new, and her blades freshly painted – she knew for sure she would be competing at the 2025 World Rowing Cup in Varese less than a fortnight before her first race.
Weber became Ghana’s second representative, and first female rower at international level in Varese, while also making her own World Rowing Cup debut at the age of 23.
Competing in the lightweight single sculls, she finished eighth overall in what she hopes is the start of a longer journey for her mother’s country.
Previously, Weber has competed for Germany, winning silver in the lightweight women’s quadruple sculls at the 2021 World Rowing Under 23 Championships and also competing in the lightweight women’s single sculls at the 2023 World Rowing Under 23 Championships.
She is the reigning German lightweight women’s single sculls champion.
“Since 2020 I raced for Germany, because I grew up in Germany, I was born there,” she explains. “But I am the daughter of a Ghanaian mother and a German father, so I had the citizenships of both countries since birth.”
Weber was keen to keep competing on the international stage, but the cost of doing so as a lightweight for Germany was a barrier for her.
“So we asked the Ghanaian Rowing Federation if they are interested, if I could race for them, and if they could support me, and they were very excited and said of course,” Weber adds. “Before that we tried everything to find a sponsor who could help me race for Germany but there wasn’t anyone who could help.”
Although she has held Ghanaian citizenship for her whole life, Weber had to first apply for a Ghanaian passport before being allowed to row for Ghana. The process of switching allegiance was signed off only a few weeks before the World Rowing Cup, and Weber knew she would be able to compete in Varese on 2 June.
That meant rushing through the design and production of her unique unisuit to race in – but she made it to the start line on time.
Weber is determined to show the best for her mother’s home country, and celebrate its warm, welcoming culture.
“It’s a great opportunity to show the other side of my culture. In day-to-day life with my friends, I speak German, everyone knows I’m born in Germany, and the Ghanaian culture isn’t really shown in society with my clothing. Now I can show my heritage to the world and show that I’m not only German, but I’m also Ghanaian,” she says.
“I have a big family in Ghana. I haven’t the opportunity to visit much, but I grew up with the culture because my mother was born there. I have four uncles and aunts there who regularly travel to Germany, so I have the best of both worlds. I’m very glad that I can experience both.
“It’s very friendly, outgoing, everyone is like your brother, your sister, your aunt, your uncle. When I went to Ghanaian church in Germany I really felt very welcomed by everyone. I went there with my mother every week and it was a really great experience.”
Rowing is not a big sport in Ghana, but Weber hopes to put it on the map in the future. She knows that to achieve a goal of racing at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games she would need to be able to compete against openweight rowers – something several scullers have achieved – but she is taking things one step at a time.
“I would like to show that I’m here because of my performance and not that I wouldn’t be able to race if I wasn’t competing for Ghana,” she says.
She was disappointed with her overall performance, but said the experience of stepping up to senior racing from under-23s had been overwhelming, admitting to feeling “baffled” on the start for the heats.
However, the experience of switching nations has given Weber a sense of gratitude to those who have helped her. She has been training in Klagenfurt am Wörthersee with the German junior and under 23 squads, and she adds that the local club, RV-Albatros, have welcomed her with open arms.
“Even though I’m not even Austrian, in Klagenfurt they said they would also support me for further years, and if I wanted ever to race for them I could do it.
“Everywhere I go I receive so much kindness and so much support. I’m very glad I have these people around me,” Weber concludes.
