Rowing: Ronan Byrne takes under-23 gold in Greece

UCC man produced a blistering final 1,000 metres to pass leader Alexander Vyazovkin of Russia

European under-23 medalists Alexander Vyazovkin (Russia), Ronan Byrne (Ireland) and Stefanos Ntouskos Greece).

Ronan Byrne won gold for Ireland in the single sculls at the European Under-23 Championships in Greece. The UCC man, who partnered Philip Doyle to silver in the double at the senior World Championships, produced a blistering final 1,000 metres to pass leader Alexander Vyazovkin of Russia. Byrne won by over four seconds.

Ireland’s three other crews were at or near the back of the fields in their races.

Senior international Monika Dukarska, who qualified the Ireland women’s double for the Olympic Games, won three titles at the Irish Offshore Championships on Saturday. She took gold for Killorglin in the single, the double and the coxed quadruple. Patrick Boomer won the men’s single for Loughros Point.

Ireland’s first world champion, Niall O’Toole (49), was part of the winning men’s quadruple, a composite crew of Wicklow, Killurin and Ring.

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The event, sponsored by Swift Racing, was held at Ballygally, Larne and hosted by Cairndhu Rowing Club.

European Under-23 Championships, Ioannina, Greece, Day One (Selected Results; Irish interest)

Men

Double Sculls - C Final: 2 A Byrne, R Corrigan 6:43.69.

Single Sculls- A Final: 1 R Byrne 6:48.28.

Lightweight Single - B Final: 4 H Moore 7:30.07.

Women

Four, coxed- Final: 5 Ireland (C O’Brien, K Shirlow, L Murphy, N Casey; cox: A Humphries-Griffiths) 7:20.37.

Irish Offshore Championships, Saturday, Larne (Selected Results; winners)

Men

Quadruple, coxed:Wicklow, Killurin, Ring 16 min 54 sec.

Double:UL Tyrian 19:41.

Single: Loughros Point (P Boomer) 20:27.

Women

Quadruple, coxed: Killorglin 19:05.

Double:Killorglin A (M Dukarska, R O’Donoghue) 19:50.

Single: Killorglin (M Dukarska) 20:39.

Mixed

Double: Arklow A 20:17.

Liam Gorman

Liam Gorman

Liam Gorman is a contributor to The Irish Times specialising in rowing