IT'S A GOLDEN HOUR FOR IRISH ROWERS IN CHINA

IRELAND CLAIMED two gold medals on the final day at the World Rowing Championships in Shanghai yesterday.

- BY DEREK FOLEY

Fiona Murtagh stormed to victory in the Women’s Single Sculls with Mags Cremen and Fintan McCarthy adding a second gold in the Mixed Double Sculls.

Galway’s Murtagh gave a sensational performance; leading from the early stages, she maintained a two-second advantage over the field for much of the race.

Britain's Lauren Henry mounted a late challenge but a photo finish confirmed Murtagh as world champion in 7:12.27 — just 0.03 seconds ahead of Henry.

Murtagh was delighted with how she held off Henry at the finish.

“I'm lost for words,” she said. “I knew it was going to be a really difficult race, and | knew | had to put as much in between (Lauren Henry) in the middle of the race as | could, because she’s a phenomenal athlete and she's got a really good sprint.