Juniors and lightweights impress

ROWING: EXCELLENT PERFORMANCES by juniors and lightweights stood out at the second national assessment at Newry over the weekend.

Lightweights Niall Kenny and Siobhan McCrohan ranked highest in yesterday’s five kilometre time trial, but their times were just marginally ahead of the rest of the lightweight pack.

This was the last big test before the national trial in April, but a number of top athletes missed out for unavoidable reasons. The saddest loss was Shane O’Driscoll, due to the death of his father, Denis. His Skibbereen clubmate Paul O’Donovan, the top junior in the last assessment, was also absent for this reason.

A shoulder injury grounded Holly Nixon, and Sanita Puspure could not compete because of a viral infection.

In Puspure’s absence, Lisa Dilleen stepped up to the mark as the top heavyweight woman. Dilleen and Puspure should be in the hunt for a place at the Olympic Qualifier in Lucerne in May.

Saturday’s ergometer (rowing machine) tests were notable for Kate O’Brien’s eye-catching time of six minutes 58 seconds for the 2,000 metres – the Limerick woman is just 17.

The talent pool in this particular group is deep: Bridget Jacques, Hilary Shinnick and Katie Cromie all managed to post faster times than O’Brien in the single sculls on the water yesterday.