Irish boats claim three golds at Coupe de la Jeunesse in Belgium

Ireland’s great run in international rowing events continued on Saturday, with three gold medals on the first day of the Coupe de la Jeunesse, a European junior tournament in Hazewinkel, Belgium.

The Ireland quadruple of Barry O'Flynn, Matt Dundon, Jack Keating and James Quinlan won their heat and then reproduced the performance in the A Final – in almost exactly the same time – to take gold.

Kenmare's Georgia O'Brien followed up quickly with her win in the women's single. She had also won her heat, but had to produce a slightly better time to take gold – she had just one third of a second to spare over silver medallist Virginie Liot of France.

The Fermoy women’s pair of Gill McGirr and Eliza O’Reilly then completed the gold medal haul with a convincing win.

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Ireland had sent four crews to the long-established regatta. The men’s four, which finished third in their heat in the morning session, took fifth in their A Final.

The Coupe stages another full set of finals on Sunday.

COUPE DE LA JEUNESSE

(Hazewinkel, Belgium)

Day One (Irish interest)

Junior Men

Four – Heat One (First three to A final): 3 Ireland (A Johnston, R Corrigan, B Connolly, N Timoney) 6:23.78. A Final: 5 Ireland 6:27.89.

Quadruple – Heat One: 1 Ireland (B O'Flynn, M Dundon, J Keating, J Quinlan) 6:12.81. A Final: 1 Ireland 6:12.16, 2 Italy 6:14.58, 3 Britain 6:15.07.

Junior Women

Pair Final: 1 Ireland (G McGirr, E O'Reilly) 7:48.50, 2 Britain 7:57.02, 3 Italy 8:00.26.

Single Sculls – Heat Two (First three to A final): 1 Ireland (G O'Brien) 8:10.17. A Final: 1 Ireland 8:09.83, 2 France 8:10.16, 3 Britain 8:14.57.