Lynch and Doyle claim rowing World Cup gold, silver for Keogh and Murtagh

Daire Lynch and Philip Doyle. Photo by Nikola Krstic/Sportsfile

Olympics-bound crew Daire Lynch and Phillip Doyle claimed gold for Ireland in the men's double sculls at the final rowing World Cup before the Games in Paris.

Lynch and Doyle powered ahead through the middle of the race in Poznan as they finished ahead of Germany in second and New Zealand in third. Olympic champions Hugo Boucheron and Matthieu Androdias of France finished outside the medals in fifth. 

“It’s different to usual because we normally come from the back, so when we’re up there at the (one kilometre mark) we’re a bit shocked," said Lynch.

"It was good that we could keep going towards the end. Since World Cup I, we’ve had a good long block. We missed World Cup II so maybe we’ve got a bit fitter. We’ve spent a lot of time on the bikes too so maybe the aerobic system’s got better. But maybe tactics too.”

Doyle added: “You’re learning every race, you’re learning new things, that we know will work and don’t work. Sometimes you get it right, sometimes you get it wrong and try and hold on when you get the speed.”

In the women's pair, Ireland's Aifric Keogh and Fiona Murtagh, who are also bound for the Olympics, claimed silver. It was a high quality race, won by world silver medallists Jessica Morrison and Annabelle McIntyre of Australia, who finished seven seconds ahead of Ireland. The Aussies led from the off but it was a tight battle for second and third between Ireland and Denmark. In the final quarter, Keogh and Murtagh had more speed in reserve than Hedvig Rasmussen and Fie Udby Erichsen, finishing 0.28 ahead of the Danes. 

On Saturday, para rower Tiarnán O’Donnell picked up his second World Cup silver medal in the men's PR2 single. The Limerick native moved into second from the off and held that spot as he finished behind Marinus De Koning of the Netherlands. Steven McGowan finished just 0.5 off the medals, racing to fourth behind Germany's Paul Umbach.