Public invited to welcome home rowing heroes

The Cork-based National Rowing Centre is inviting the public to its Farran Wood headquarters tomorrow to officially welcome home a golden trio.

World champions Gary and Paul O’Donovan from Skibbereen in West Cork and Ballincollig-based Sanita Puspure all secured gold medals at the World Rowing Championships in Bulgaria.

The CEO of Rowing Ireland, Michelle Carpenter, said: “We are delighted to welcome our heroes back to their home at the National Rowing Centre, in particular during a weekend where we will host the first of the Irish Trial event which will encourage and determine future rowers for Paris 2024 and beyond.”

The Olympic silver medalist brothers went one better at the world event and along with Ms Puspure, who took gold in the women’s single scull, they will be joined by Emily Hegarty and Aifric Keogh who were sixth in their first world championship final.

Mayor of Cork county Patrick Gerard Murphy announced that the celebrations will start at 3pm at the Lee Valley centre, with music, face-painting, and balloon modelling.

“Our rowers are the very epitome of sport and sportsmanship,” said Mr Murphy.

“Their achievements were extraordinary.”