Galway Rowers made their mark at the World Rowing Championships held in Canada last week with three medals. One gold and two bronze.
Tribesmen's Siobhan McCrohan delivered another podium performance claiming bronze.
In a highly competitive field featuring three Paris Olympians, two of whom had medaled, it was never going to be easy for the reigning champion to defend her title. Siobhan started strong and held third position from the beginning. She made a decisive move at the halfway point, settling into second place, but in the third quarter, the Greek sculler surged ahead, edging McCrohan out at the line.
The University of Galway's Donnacha Keeley won gold in the U23 Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls World Championship with team mate Ciaran Purdy after a dominant performance in Canada this afternoon.
It was a tight race, with the Canadians leading the pack in the first half. However, the University of Galway and Queens University pair comfortably moved up the gears, taking the lead by the 1500m mark. From there, nothing could stop them as they became the fastest boat in the final 100 meters, securing the world championship title.
Another University of Galway Rower, Brian Colsh and team mate Adam Murphy from Cork took home Ireland’s first medal of the 2024 World Championships of the day.
The Polish crew established an early lead, with Adam and Brian battling Australia for second place through the halfway mark. The Australians made a push in the last 200m, leading to Ireland settling for the bronze medal position.
Key Results:
BM4- C Final: Liam Walter, Luke Dunleavy, Andrew O’Leary, and Rory Buckley delivered a strong performance, finishing 2nd in the C Final.
BLM2x A Final: Donnacha Keeley and Ciaran Purdy brought home a gold medal in the U23 Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls, dominating their final.
BM2x A Final: Brian Colsh and Adam Murphy earned a bronze medal in the U23 Men’s Double Sculls, showcasing their competitive edge.
BLW2x A Final: The duo of Sophia Monahan and Aine O’Mahony placed 6th in the U23 Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls, securing a top-10 world ranking.
BM1x A Final: Andrew Sheehan finished 6th in the U23 Men’s Single Sculls, demonstrating his resilience in a tough field.
BM4x B Final: Shane Rafferty, Fergus Bryce, Donagh Claffey, and Fionn O’Reilly claimed victory in the B Final, placing 7th overall in the U23 Men’s Quadruple Sculls.
LM1x A Final: Paul O’Donovan added another gold to his collection, winning the Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls with a commanding performance.
LW1x A Final: Siobhan McCrohan secured a bronze medal in the Lightweight Women’s Single Sculls, underscoring her position as one of the top competitors in the world.
JW2x B Final: Anna Brennan and Moya Knowles won the B Final in the Junior Women’s Double Sculls, finishing 7th overall.
JM4+ Final: The Junior Men’s Coxed Four, consisting of Dominic Casey, Mattais Cogan, Michael Dan Lucey, Evan O’Byrne, and Luke Fitzgerald, placed 5th in their final.
JM4x A Final: Michael McGrath, Jack Rafferty, Rian Claffey, and Sean Morris narrowly missed a podium finish, coming in 4th in the Junior Men’s Quadruple Sculls.
The U23 Women’s Double Scull team of Holly Davis and Grace Healy, who had progressed to the B Final, unfortunately had to withdraw due to medical reasons.
