Sanita Puspure powers her way to world single sculls final
The world title beckons for Ireland’s Sanita Puspure after a dominant performance in yesterday’s semi-finals at the world championships in Bulgaria.
The Old Collegians sculler not only won her semi but clocked up a time faster than that set by world champion Jeannine Gmelin of Switzerland, who won the other race.
With a fast heat time under her belt from Monday, Puspure was always on track for something special, but it was 2012 silver medallist Fie Udby Erichsen of Denmark who caused a surprise off the start, leading Puspure through the first critical stage of the race.
Meanwhile Canada’s Carling Zeeman, who also qualified directly for the semi-final, languished back in fifth.
The Dane continued to lead Puspure to halfway while Germany’s Annekatrin Thiele fought it out for the third qualifying slot with Sweden’s Lovisa Claesson.
A sustained burn from Puspure at 1100m blew the Danish opposition away, but Canada’s Carling Zeeman came on strongly to cause an upset before a boat-stopping crab put paid to her chances with 400m to go.
With the pressure now off, Puspure was able to win as she liked, qualifying ahead of Erichsen and Thiele.
“I wasn’t worried at all off the start – I followed my race plan, just like the heat on Monday.
"I could relax a bit towards the finish and save the power for Sunday” she said afterwards.
And Zeeman’s crab – did that disturb her pace at all?
“Poor thing – I didn’t see what happened but I saw her fishing the blade back afterward,” she added.
But Philip Doyle and Ronan Byrne were denied a place in the final of the men’s double sculls following their stunning win in Thursday’ repechage.
Their classic fast start brought them into the lead ahead of Great Britain’s Angus Groom and Jack Beaumont off the start but the second half was a different matter. With the GB double leading the field, Ireland were overhauled by New Zealand at 1250m before Poland came through to deny Ireland the vital third place. Doyle and Byrne had half a length overlap on Poland to qualify approaching the line before Romania came through the field to deny both crews a place in the final.
In the lightweight men’s quads final, Ireland hit 50 strokes a minute off the start but Germany led Italy through the first 250m and the Skibbereen/UCC composite slipped off the pace in the second half. Germany went on to take gold ahead of Italy and Turkey, with Ireland in fifth.
1. GER 5:51.21, 2. ITA 5:52.85, 3. TUR 5:53.95, 4. DEN 5:55.69,
5. IRL (A Goff, J McCarthy, R Ballantine, F McCarthy) 5:56.64, 6. CZE 5:59.77.
1. GBR 6:06.59, 2. NZL 6:08.00, 3. ROU 6:08.17, 4. POL 6:08.95,
5. IRL (R Byrne, P Doyle) 6:10.95, 6. EST 6:22.06.
1. IRL (S Puspure) 7:23.01, 2. DEN 7:30.73, 3. GER 7:32.74, 4. SWE 7:39.09, 5. CAN 7:48.75, 6. LTU 7:51.59.
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