Sanita Puspure successfully defended the Women's Single Sculls title at the European Rowing Championships earlier today on a good day for Ireland in Poznan.Â
She came home first in the final in the Polish city, holding off the challenge of Austria and Greece to cement a second successive title.
Puspure clocked a time of 7.36.040, just over two seconds clear of Austria's Magdalena Lobnig in second.
European Rowing Championships 2020
W1x A Final Result
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Sanita Puspure has finished 1st and wins the GOLD medal in the A Final!#WeAreRowingIreland#TeamKinetica#Greenblades pic.twitter.com/GDEz7YYkus— Rowing Ireland (@RowingIreland) October 11, 2020
Puspure's gold followed on from three bronze medals for Ireland earlier in the day.
Fintan McCarthy came in third in the final of the lightweight men's sculls this morning.
The Skibbereen rower charged into an early lead and for long stages of the race, it looked like he might finish even higher on the podium.
However, the Cork man was reeled in by both Norway and Italy before the finish.
Kristoffer Brun of Norway was the eventual winner after a storming final half of the race to win in a time of 6.58.750, while Italy's Niels Torre finished second in a time of 6.59.110. McCarthy crossed in just over seven minutes - 7.02.150.
Daire Lynch and Ronan Byrne made the podium in third after the final of the men's double sculls. They posted a time of 6.21.280, finishing in third behind Switzerland and winners Netherlands, who finished in 6.18.690.
The Women's Four team also finished among the medals. Aifric Keogh, Eimear Lambe, Aileen Crowley and Fiona Murtagh combined to secure a third-place finish in their final shortly before midday.
The Netherlands were comfortable winners in that final, winning by a margin of more than five seconds from Italy in second. Ireland narrowly missed out on silver, posting a time of 6.41.210, marginally behind the Italians on 6.40.840.
Also today, there was a fifth-place finish in the Women's Pair for Tara Hanlon and Emily Hegarty.
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