#ROWING: Sanita Puspure lifted Ireland to the podium at the European Rowing Championships in Belgrade in Serbia today. In a brilliant final of the women’s single sculls, Puspure started well and stayed up with the leaders right through the race. In a thrilling final 50 metres Mirka Knapkova, the Olympic champion battled Puspure to hold on to the lead, and then Puspure was just edged out of silver by a stunning finish by Chantal Achterberg of the Netherlands. There was just two hundredths of a second between silver and bronze – and Puspure was just three tenths of a second behind gold medal winner Knapkova.
European Rowing Championships, Belgrade, Serbia (Irish interest; Selected Results):
Men
Lightweight Four – A Final: 1 Denmark 6:08.81, 2 Britain (P Chambers, R Chambers, M Aldred, C Bartley) 6:10.97, 3 France 6:12.81.
Single Sculls – A Final: 1 Czech Republic (O Synek) 6:54.95; 6 Britain (A Campbell) 7:02.92
Women
Pair – A Final: I Britain (H Glover, P Swann) 7:03.620, 2 Romania (C Grigoras, L Oprea) 7:08.52, 3 The Netherlands (A Jorritsma, H Boers) 7:10.56, 4 Ireland (L Kennedy, L Dilleen) 7:12.42, 5 Croatia 7:23.66, 6 Germany.
Double Sculls – B Final (Places 7 to 10): 1 Czech Republic (L Antosova, A Zabova) 7:01.76, 2 Italy 7:05.18, 3 Austria 7:09.22
4 Ireland (M Dukarska, E Moran) 7:13.39.
Single Sculls – A Final: 1 Czech Republic (M Knapkova) 7:42.74,
2 Netherlands (C Achterberg) 7:43.02, 3 Ireland (S Puspure) 7:43.04; 4 Austria 7:44.97, 5 Russia 7:49.23, 6 Germany 7:54.5.