Keogh and Hegarty Give Ireland Good Start at World Rowing Championships

9th September 2018

Aifric Keogh Credit: Liam Gorman

#Rowing: Ireland’s Aifric Keogh and Emily Hegarty took an excellent second place to qualify for the semi-finals on the first day of the World Rowing Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

The New Zealand pair of Kerri Gowler and Grace Prendergast are the best in the world at the moment: they are world champions and holders of the world's best time. They showed it by flying away from the field and winning well. There were two other direct qualification places on offer, with Australia, Ireland and the United States contending for them.

The United States were second to half way, but by then Keogh and Hegarty were moving. They pulled out a good third quarter and were virtually level with the Americans at 1500 metres. They pushed into second and secured their place in the next round. The American crew of Victoria Opitz and Gia Doonan were third.

World Rowing Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Day One (Irish interest)

Women

Pair – Heat One (First Three to A/B Semi-Final; rest to Repechage): 1 New Zealand 6:56.06, 2 Ireland (A Keogh, E Hegarty) 7:11.51, 3 United States 7:13.02.

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About The Author

Liam Gorman

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Liam Gorman is a writer and reporter. He is the co-author of Little Lady, One Man, Big Ocean, published in the United States and Canada as Crossing the Swell. He is the rowing correspondent of the Irish Times.

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