How Ireland's Olympic medal-winning four came together: A mix of science and gut instinct

The bronze medal won by Aifric Keogh, Eimear Lambe, Fiona Murtagh, and Emily Hegarty was fashioned from a long and ultimately successful search for the perfect combination in that women’s four

Ireland's Aifric Keogh, Eimear Lambe, Fiona Murtagh, and Emily Hegarty celebrate with their bronze medals. Picture: INPHO/Morgan Treacy

All questions tend to be soft pitches when you’ve just won a gold medal.

When Jessica Morrison sat on the stage in the rowing venue’s media centre after yesterday’s win in the final of the women’s four, she was asked just where everything had gone right for an Australian team that had also picked up another gold and two bronze medals to boot on the one day.