Rowing
Double Gold and Bronze Medals for Ireland in Shanghai
It was a golden weekend for Rowing Ireland at the 2025 World Championships in Shanghai, with the team taking home two world titles, two bronze medals, and several other top-class results.
Fiona Murtagh: World Champion in the Single Sculls
Double Olympian Fiona Murtagh produced the standout performance of the regatta in the Women’s Single Sculls (W1x), leading from the start and surviving a late charge from Britain’s Lauren Henry. The race ended in a dramatic photo finish, with Murtagh declared the winner by just 0.03 seconds.
“I’m lost for words. I knew it was going to be a really difficult race. … I dug deep and crossed the line. I really didn’t know who’d won until I looked at the screen and saw my name,” said Murtagh.
Historic Mixed Double Gold for Cremen & McCarthy
Just moments after Murtagh crossed the line, Mags Cremen and Fintan McCarthy etched their names into the history books with victory in the Mixed Double Sculls (Mix2x) – the inaugural staging of the event at the World Championships. The pair seized control early and held off a determined Dutch challenge to secure gold in 6:24.22. World Rowing has indicated that mixed events are increasingly being added to international programmes. While there will be no mixed boat classes on the lake programme at LA28, mixed events will feature in the new coastal rowing discipline making its Olympic debut.
Bronze Medals Add to the Haul
– Jake McCarthy powered to bronze in the Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls (LM1x), adding another medal to Ireland’s tally.
– In the Men’s Double Sculls (M2x), Philip Doyle and Fintan McCarthy showed grit to take bronze, with Doyle noting:
“Fintan and I’s determination to secure a bronze medal today reflects the strength, dedication, and resilience within Rowing Ireland.”
Finals
Siobhán McCrohan narrowly missed a podium in the Lightweight Women’s Single Sculls (LW1x), finishing fourth after a strong semi-final run.
Nathan Timoney & Ross Corrigan placed 6th in the Men’s Pair (M2-), showing further depth in the squad.
Summary of the 2025 World Championship Results
- W1x | Fiona Murtagh – Gold
- Mix2x | Mags Cremen & Fintan McCarthy – Gold
- LM1x | Jake McCarthy – Bronze
- M2x | Fintan McCarthy & Philip Doyle – Bronze
- M2- | Nathan Timoney & Ross Corrigan – 6th
- LW1x | Siobhán McCrohan – 4th
- W2x | Mags Cremen & Zoe Hyde – 1st (B Final)
- PR2 Mix2x | Tiarnán O’Donnell & Sadhbh Ní Laoighre – 3rd (B Final)
- W4- | Natalie Long, Emma Water, Aisling Hayes & Imogen Magner -3rd (B Final)
- M4x | Andrew Sheehan, Adam Murphy, Brian Colsh & Ronan Byrne – 1st (C Final)
- M1x | Konan Pazzaia – 2nd (C Final)
- W2- | Emily Hegarty & Aoife Casey – 1st (C Final)
A Championship to Remember
The two golds, two bronzes, and a string of top-class finals underline Ireland’s standing as a powerhouse in world rowing – a mix of established champions and fresh combinations delivering results on the biggest stage.
“The 2025 World Rowing Championships in Shanghai have been very rewarding,” said High Performance Lead Coach Dominic Casey. “Our team delivered strong performances showing real promise with lots of new crew combinations.”
Full results and coverage available via Rowing Ireland: https://www.rowingireland.ie/golden-day-for-rowing-ireland-at-the-2025-world-championships/
Cycling
Road Race World Championships: Bronze for Ben Healy
Cycling Ireland’s Ben Healy earned a brilliant bronze medal in the Elite Men’s road race at the 2025 UCI Road World Championships in Kigali, Rwanda.
The event was brutal – 267.5 km of racing, with 5,475 metres of climbing, and high altitude between 1,400m and 1,765m above sea level. Only about 30 of 185 starters completed the race – a testament to just how tough the course was.
Healy rode smart and resilient. After Tadej Pogačar launched a solo attack with roughly 100 km to go, the Irishman persisted in a chasing group alongside Remco Evenepoel and Mattias Skjelmose (Denmark). Evenepoel eventually broke free with ~20 km remaining to secure silver. In the final 5 km, Healy dropped Skjelmose and soloed to claim bronze, 2:16 behind Pogačar.
“This season is getting crazier and crazier,” said Healy. “I’ve been progressing year-by-year, just a few percent here and there … Definitely, a Tour de France like I had this summer gave me the extra little boost. I knew what I needed to do today. It worked out great.”
Healy becomes the first Irish cyclist to medal in the Elite Men’s road race at Worlds since Sean Kelly’s bronze in 1989.
What’s Next
Next up for Ireland’s road riders is the European Road Championships, taking place from October 1st–5th.
Golf
Lowry’s Putt for the Ages, McIlroy’s Leadership, and Adare Manor Awaits
The 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black ended with Irish golfers at the heart of the drama, as Europe retained the trophy under captain Luke Donald.
The decisive moment came from Shane Lowry, who holed a nerve-shredding putt on the 18th green to halve his singles match with Russell Henley – securing the half-point Europe needed to guarantee the Cup.
“Pure relief,” said Lowry afterwards. “Relief, joy, all of the above. It was unbelievable … fair play to the Americans — they fought very hard.”
Lowry’s clutch performance was hailed as a “putt for the ages,” a defining moment in his career and in Ryder Cup history.
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy once again carried a leadership role for Europe, contributing vital points earlier in the week and speaking passionately about standards of behaviour. He condemned the “unacceptable” abuse faced by players and revealed that his wife had been struck by a thrown beer in the crowd.
The spotlight will soon shift to Ireland, with the next home Ryder Cup taking place at Adare Manor in 2027 — the first time the event returns to Ireland since the K Club in 2006.
More: https://www.adaremanor.com/golf/ryder-cup-2027/