The 2024 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals kicked off in Genoa, Italy, with the first round of Time Trials on Thursday, September 12th. Irish rowers, competing across several categories, showcased their talent and determination amidst challenging coastal conditions. The knock-out stages began on Saturday, September 14th, with several Irish crews making it through to compete against some of the best coastal rowers in the world.
Saturday, September 14th: Knock-Out Races Begin
Junior Men’s Solo: Ireland’s Jack Hehir gave a strong performance but was ultimately defeated by Tomas Neves of Portugal in a competitive race. Despite his exit, Hehir impressed with his technique and effort.
Mixed Coxed Quad: The Irish crew, consisting of Miriam Sheehan, Xena Jordan, Adam Grace, Kealan Mannix, and cox David Hussey, put up a valiant fight in their race but narrowly missed out on advancing, losing to the French team. Their race was a close contest, reflecting the high standard of competition at the event.
Sunday, September 15th: Final Knock-Out Races for Ireland
Junior Men’s Double: The pair of Oran O’Donovan & Aidan Barry competed with tenacity but fell short in their race against Italy’s Leonardo Bellomo and Pasquale Tamborrino, who secured the win.
Junior Women’s Double: The duo of Roisin Manning & Elsey Symons also faced a tough match-up, losing to Portugal’s Lara Faustino and Rita Tigeleiro in a closely contested race.
Challenging Conditions, Impressive Performances
The Irish rowers showed immense skill and resilience throughout the competition, particularly given the unpredictable coastal conditions. Though the final results didn’t go their way, their performances at the 2024 World Rowing Beach Sprints have marked them as athletes to watch in the future.
