Rowing: Maher joy at silver lining
Monday July 26 2010
Ireland's lightweight men's quad won a stunning silver medal at the U-23 World Rowing Championships in Belarus yesterday.
A podium finish was always on the cards after Niall Kenny, Michael Maher, Mark O'Donovan and Justin Ryan won Saturday's semi-final with a time that put them only 0.6 seconds off the German favourites.
It was the best Irish result at the event since Offaly sculler Padraig Hussey came second in 2001. "We were pretty confident on the start but the Germans took half a length off us and we were trying to claw back from there," said a delighted Michael Maher, of Commercial RC.
All four Irish crews reached their season's target of a top-12 finish. Claire Lamb and Sarah Dolan finished eighth in the lightweight women's doubles while 19-year-old Lisa Dilleen finished ninth in the heavyweight single, and Peter Hanily and Anthony English came 10th in the lightweight pair.
Irish Independent
