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The Irish Sun
9 hours ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
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!'
CBC
a day ago
- Sport
- CBC
2025 World Rowing Cup #2 : Lucerne
The world's best rowers head to the Rotsee for this stop of the 2025 World Rowing Cup in Lucerne, Switzerland.
The 42
a day ago
- Sport
- The 42
Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy to face off in World Rowing Cup semi-final
BACK-TO-BACK Olympic champions Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy will be in competing boats in the semi-final of the men's double sculls at the World Rowing Cup at Lucerne tomorrow. O'Donovan and Daire Lynch are safely through to the semi after finishing second in their heat this morning. The Irish duo tried to overhaul the leaders in the closing stages but Aleksandr Iakovlev and Andrei Potapkin (AIN, or neutral athletes) held on by 0.24 seconds. 'Tough enough going,' said Lynch afterwards. 'Hopefully we'll get better.' In the semi-final, O'Donovan will come up against long-time partner McCarthy – with whom he has won two Olympic gold medals in the lightweight double sculls – and Konan Pazzaia, who also finished second in their heat today. Advertisement More to follow . . .
Irish Examiner
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
No Paul O'Donovan as Ireland crews named for 2025 World Rowing Cup
Paul O'Donovan will not feature for Rowing Ireland at the World Rowing Cup in Lucerne as the crews are named for the 2025 event. Bronze medal winners at the European Rowing Championships Fintan McCarthy and Daire Lynch will row in the M2x while in the M4x will see Ronan Byrne, Brian Colsh, Adam Murphy and Andrew Sheehan compete. Fiona Murtagh, who won silver in the European Rowing Championships, and Alison Bergin will compete in the W1x with Siobhán McCrohan going in the LW1x event. Margaret Cremen and Zoe Hyde are paired for the W2x. Claire Feerick, Aisling Hayes, Imogen Magner and Natalie Long will row in the foursome W4 event. In the PR2 Mix2x Sadhbh Ní Laoighaire and Tiernan O'Donnell will team up and will compete in the PR3 category for classification pruposes. The competition will take place from June 27-29. Speaking ahead of the competition High Performance Lead Coach Dominic Casey said 'Lucerne is one of the standout events in the rowing calendar. "The squad selected brings together a mix of youth and experience, and it's a key opportunity for us to benchmark against world-class crews as we look ahead to the next major test.'
RTHK
16-06-2025
- Sport
- RTHK
HK's Chiu settles for silver in World Rowing Cup
HK's Chiu settles for silver in World Rowing Cup Chiu Hin-chun of Hong Kong, China, shows off his World Rowing Cup silver medal in Varese. Photo: Chiu Hin-chun's social media Hong Kong, China, rower Chiu Hin-chun has won silver in the lightweight men's single sculls at the 2025 World Rowing Cup in Varese, Italy. Chiu just missed out on gold after clocking six minutes and 54.36 seconds in the heats during the three-day event to advance as the top overall qualifier. In the final, he started a tight race with Uruguay's Felipe Kluver, keeping a mere half-second gap through the first 1,500 metres. The SAR rower ultimately completed the 2,000-metre race in six minutes and 50.19 seconds, settling for silver with a 1.8-second deficit. Home favourite Luca Borgonovo claimed bronze in six minutes 52.62 seconds. This is the second time that Chiu has gotten on the podium – he took the gold medal in the same event at last year's World Rowing Cup II in Lucerne, Switzerland. "Anyway, we have more good memories in Varese, Italy! Grazie mille!" he wrote on social media "Thanks to all the coaches, therapists and supporters who put me back in one piece for this over the past half year. "Am looking forward to the second half."
