Ireland’s great run in international rowing events continued on Saturday, with three gold medals on the first day of the Coupe de la Jeunesse, a European junior tournament in Hazewinkel, Belgium.
The Ireland quadruple of Barry O'Flynn, Matt Dundon, Jack Keating and James Quinlan won their heat and then reproduced the performance in the A Final – in almost exactly the same time – to take gold.
Kenmare's Georgia O'Brien followed up quickly with her win in the women's single. She had also won her heat, but had to produce a slightly better time to take gold – she had just one third of a second to spare over silver medallist Virginie Liot of France.
The Fermoy women’s pair of Gill McGirr and Eliza O’Reilly then completed the gold medal haul with a convincing win.
Ireland had sent four crews to the long-established regatta. The men’s four, which finished third in their heat in the morning session, took fifth in their A Final.
The Coupe stages another full set of finals on Sunday.
COUPE DE LA JEUNESSE
(Hazewinkel, Belgium)
Day One (Irish interest)
Junior Men
Four – Heat One (First three to A final): 3 Ireland (A Johnston, R Corrigan, B Connolly, N Timoney) 6:23.78. A Final: 5 Ireland 6:27.89.
Quadruple – Heat One: 1 Ireland (B O'Flynn, M Dundon, J Keating, J Quinlan) 6:12.81. A Final: 1 Ireland 6:12.16, 2 Italy 6:14.58, 3 Britain 6:15.07.
Junior Women
Pair Final: 1 Ireland (G McGirr, E O'Reilly) 7:48.50, 2 Britain 7:57.02, 3 Italy 8:00.26.
Single Sculls – Heat Two (First three to A final): 1 Ireland (G O'Brien) 8:10.17. A Final: 1 Ireland 8:09.83, 2 France 8:10.16, 3 Britain 8:14.57.
