Ireland's Siobhán McCrohan has won the gold medal in the lightweight women's sculls final at the World Rowing Championships in Serbia.
McCrohan produced the performance of her life in gruelling conditions conditions in Belgrade, beating out Mexico's Kenia Lechuga and American Sophia Luwis for the top podium spot.
Handed a favourable draw in lane one after winning her A/B semi-final on Thursday, McCrohan executed her race plan to perfection.
Records were never going to be broken in 30c heat and strong winds and the Claregalway woman took her time to get going, pacing herself in the early stages as Martine Veldhuis of the Netherlands stormed into a commanding early lead.
By the 500m mark, McCrohan had settled into third place behind Veldhuis and Lechuga, with the Dutch women already being reeled in.
McCrohan improved to second place at the halfway point, sitting on the shoulder of Lechuga, just 0.27 behind the Mexican as Veldhuis was unable to keep pace and dropped out of the reckoning.
Luwis then forced her way into the conversation, putting pressure on McCrohan, who kept her cool and stuck to her race plan, waiting for her moment to attack as she, Veldhuis and Luwis pulled away from the chasing pack.
The Irishwoman made her move as the scullers passed the 1500m mark. She upped her work rate and, with 300m to go, overtook Veldhuis, never looking back.
With clear, calm water in front of her, she extended her lead in the closing stages, pulling away from Kechuga and Luwis, leaving the Mexican to win the battle for silver.
McCrohan crossed the line in a time of 8:47.96 and while she has certainly claimed faster times in previous races, none will have meant as much as this one.
"I only really came back to proper training winter of this season so it's been a good comeback!" - Siobhán McCrohan on winning #WorldRowingChamps gold after seven years out of the Irish shirt | Report: https://t.co/cjIhIrINuz #WRCHBelgrade pic.twitter.com/fuNyN9E7BC
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) September 8, 2023
The 36-year-old only returned to representing Ireland this summer after a seven-year absence, having got back into regular training with double sculls partner Leah Coakley.
She finished just off the podium in June's European Championships and has now claimed world glory in her first season back in the boat, though in a non-Olympic class.
"I only really came back to proper training winter of this season so it's been a good comeback!" she told RTÉ Sport.
"It wasn't so much that I made a decision that I should come back, it was that I couldn't stay away any longer.
"I joined up with the squad in Cork the first week of May and I've gotten about 15 seconds faster since. So I'm on a good speed improvement curve and hopefully I can keep that going and not get injured or sick next year."
Tribesmen Rowing Club member McCrohan is used to the fast-flowing waters of the River Corrib so took today's wind in her stride.
"We all have to row in the same conditions so it's more that the race just takes longer," she said.
"I've always been very willing to go out in very rough conditions because the other option is having to do ERG [rowing machine] and I'll avoid doing ERG if at all possible.
"As well, because I've been rowing for so long, I have a lot of experience in the rough conditions, so I won't get as stressed if something goes a bit off. I was having to pull myself back into my lane twice, pinballing back and forth down the course. It is tough conditions for steering but everyone else has to row in the same conditions.
"I knew from Lucerne that Sophia has quite a good second 1,000 so I figured I would have to put in a good push at the end. I was actually expecting her to come back on me more, like she did in her semi-final."
Earlier, both the men's and women's double sculls crews booked their places in A finals on Sunday and secured their boats' places at Paris 2024 for Ireland.
Philip Doyle and Daire Lynch were just over a second behind two-time Olympic champions Valent and Martin Sinkovic in their semi-final.
Alison Bergin and Zoe Hyde were also second, closely behind Americans Kristina Wagner and Sophia Vitas
Jake McCarthy finished fifth in the lightweight men's single sculls D Final, ranking him 23rd in the world.
Watch the World Rowing Championships on Saturday and Sunday from 12pm on the RTE News Channel and RTE Player.
