Irish rower Fiona Murtagh hails coach for talking her into ‘new era I never foresaw' after bitter Olympics heartbreak
FIONA MURTAGH knew after her Paris woe that she needed some time alone — she just never expected it to be in a boat.
The 29-year-old is in Lucerne this weekend for the World Rowing Cup as one to beat after
2
Rower Fiona Murtagh poses for a portrait during an OFI Media Conference
Credit: Ben McShane/Sportsfile
2
Fiona Murtagh in action during the Women's Single Sculls A Final at the 2025 European Rowing Championships
Credit: Nikola Krstic/Sportsfile
Murtagh — who won her heat yesterday to qualify for the semi-final in
Switzerland
— claimed Olympic bronze as part of the coxless fours in Tokyo but is now bringing home precious metals in the single sculls.
She told SunSport: 'It's a new chapter that I never foresaw. I didn't see it happening. I used to actively avoid being in a single.
'If they ever asked if I'd like to go out in a single, I would say 'No!' '
And it was never an ambition of hers either — despite watching former Irish world champion Sanita Puspure shine on the biggest stage.
Read More on Olympics
She said: 'It was just never a strength of mine. I'd look at Sanita and it would be, 'Fair play girl! But not for me!' And now, here we are. It's
funny
how things
work
out.'
The agony of the
The pair went to Vaires-sur-Marne among the favourites having medalled in every event in the build-up.
But their form simply deserted them on the day.
Most read in Other Sports
Murtagh said: 'It was just massively disappointing, especially after having such a good season going into it.
'We were going from strength to strength and it just didn't happen. We don't know why it didn't happen.'
I worked late shifts at a Land Rover factory but hated it so much it inspired my Olympic dream, says Galal Yafai
next
.
And getting back in the
water
was not appealing to the Galwegian.
But Rowing
Ireland
head coach Dominic Casey had different ideas and reckoned the solitude of a solo rower was what Murtagh needed.
Murtagh explained: 'It was difficult post-Paris. But I'm thankful to my support network, the girls, my
family
and the people around me who brought me through it.
'After two Olympic cycles, I just felt so tired and I didn't know what to do with it anymore, or what I could give.
'But I have to credit Dominic for giving me the
space
, being incredibly patient and staying firm.
'I asked to get out of the single and he was, 'No, you're sticking to it'. He could see it.
'He had the vision and could see it long before I did.'
'HARDEST PART'
And it meant a lot of solitude.
Murtagh was not used to being in a boat on her own at the National Rowing Centre in Farran, Co
Cork
.
She said: 'That was the hardest part of it, doing the session on your own. Even if there was someone else on the water, a faster boat, or some of the lads, anyone . . . doing intensity sessions completely solo at 7am, you're like, 'What am I doing?'
'It was like a vulnerable space. I didn't want to do it because I didn't think I had the skills to be honest.
'But I needed to come face to face with how I am as an athlete and what am I good at, what do I need to improve on and how can I improve that?
'Being in the single helped answer those questions.'
The evidence was soon there as the competitiveness that was always in her came to the fore.
The rookie single sculler quickly proved she is one of the best in
Europe
.
'We may not be rowing together but we're still in tandem!'
She said: 'I didn't know what I was going to do after Paris and I didn't expect the single to be the answer to it. But I'm glad that it was.
'I'm really enjoying the journey of it all and it's just giving me that new freshness.
'It's feels almost like day one. I'm competitive anyway.
'Even if I go in saying, 'I'll see what it's like', I'll quickly be like, 'I want a medal'.
'It was great, even at the Europeans, but there is so much that I can still grow.'
And while she is now alone in a boat, it is very different on dry land.
Her Tokyo
WhatsApp
group is still going strong with support for her new solo pursuit.
And her Paris partner Keogh is seen as much as if they were still on the water together.
Murtagh said: 'I've started working in JP Morgan — there is an athletes programme through Sport Ireland.
'Aifric is there too. We haven't left each other's lives.
'Even the day I was at the Europeans and won silver, Aifric did the women's mini marathon and had her medal from the 10k.
'We Facetimed after I was on the podium so I'm there with my silver medal around my neck from the Europeans and she had her medal.
'We may not be rowing together but we're still in tandem!'
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