A team of six athletes have been selected to represent Ireland at the European Rowing Championships at the Ada Ciganlija Rowing Course, in Belgrade, Serbia from 29 May to 1 June 2014. These six athletes were selected to compete based on their performances at the Rowing Ireland High Performance Trials held at the end of March, and the Memorial Paolo d’Ajola International Regatta in Piediluco, Italy.
At the Memorial Paola d’Ajola International Regatta, held in Piediluco, Italy from 11-13 April, all six athletes, competing in four events, took home medals. The highlight of which was the Women’s Pair of Leonora Kennedy and Lisa Dilleen, which won two gold medals during the regatta. They will compete in the same event at the European Championships.
Ireland’s sole representative in rowing at the 2012 Olympics, Sanita Puspure, has been selected to compete in the Women’s Single Scull. After missing most of the 2013 season due to illness, Puspure has been performing well in her return to competition this season, winning two silver medals at the Memorial Paola d’Ajola International Regatta.
Bronze medallist at the 2013 Under 23 World Championships, Paul O’Donovan, will be competing the Lightweight Men’s Single Scull. Still only 20 years old, O’Donovan is stepping up to senior international competition this season, already winning a bronze medal at the Memorial Paola d’Ajola International Regatta. Based on his strong performance at the High Performance trials this season, he is the only athlete to be have been preselected for July’s Under 23 World Championships, where he will again compete in the Lightweight Single Scull.
Monika Dukarska and Eimear Moran will compete in the Women’s Double Scull. This relatively new combination only started training together in March, Moran having returned to the Irish team for the first time since 2010. Dukarska, who has been selected for the Irish team for the second consecutive year, had a hugely successful season in 2013, culminating in a 10th place finish at the World Championships in September 2013. They had a successful start to the 2014 season, winning a bronze medal at the Memorial Paola d’Ajola International Regatta.
The full team selected to compete:
Women’s Single Scull
Sanita Puspure (Old Collegians BC)
Men’s Lightweight Single Scull
Paul O’Donovan (UCD BC)
Women’s Double Scull
Eimear Moran (Three Castles RC)
Monika Dukarska (Killorglin RC)
Women’s Pair
Lisa Dilleen (Grainne Mhaol RC)
Leonora Kennedy (Portora BC)
(Key: BC= Boat Club, RC= Rowing Club)
