European silver medallists Paul and Gary O'Donovan and single sculler Sanita Puspure will lead the Ireland team for the World Rowing Championships in Bulgaria next month. Puspure chose to miss the European test in Scotland to train.
The men’s pair of Shane O’Driscoll and Mark O’Donovan and the women’s lightweight double of Aoife Casey and Denise Walsh, both of which competed in B Finals in Scotland, have been chosen.
There will be a new heavyweight men’s double of UCC’s Ronan Byrne and Philip Doyle of Queen’s University. Byrne reached the A Final of the single sculls at the World Under-23 Championships and Doyle looked competitive - also in a single - at the World Cup in Regatta in Lucerne. The women’s heavyweight double of Monika Dukarska and Aileen Crowley and pair of Aifric Keogh and Emily Hegarty complete the team - for the moment.
A men’s lightweight quadruple may be added. It is understood that there will be trials of athletes who formed the lightweight quad which took silver at the World Under-23 Championships and the lightweight double which reached the under-23 final.
Shane Mulvaney and David O’Malley, the world under-23 champions in the lightweight pair, took themselves out of contention as the event clashes with important college commitments.
The World Championships will be held from September 9-16th.
Ireland Team for World Rowing Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria, September 9-16th:
Men
Pair: M O’Donovan, S O’Driscoll
Double Sculls: Ronan Byrne, Philip Doyle
Lightweight Double Sculls: Gary O’Donovan, Paul O’Donovan
Women
Pair: Aifric Keogh, Emily Hegarty
Double Sculls: Monika Dukarska, Aileen Crowley
Lightweight Double Sculls: Aoife Casey, Denise Walsh
Single Sculls: Sanita Puspure
Other crews may be added
