Rowing: Gear≤id Towey learnt what a difference it makes to be a world champion when he arrived into Cork Airport to a rapturous welcome last night and a greeting from Lord Mayor Tom O'Driscoll, reports Liam Gorman.
"It's amazing, unbelievable," said Fermoy man Towey, his voice almost drowned out on the phoneline by the din of the crowd. Towey won gold as part of the ligthweight pair at the World Rowing Championships in Lucerne at the weekend.
His partner in the pair, Tony O'Connor, and O'Connor's fiancΘe, SinΘad Jennings, crowned world champion women's lightweight sculler on Saturday, are taking a short holiday, but at Shannon Airport crowds also gathered to welcome home lightweight single sculler Sam Lynch.
"It's an absolutely incredible achievement," said the Lord Mayor of Limerick, Dick Sadlier. Lynch's club, St Michael's, celebrate their centenary this year and had a fitting weekend. Their president, Kieran Kerr, in his capacity as a FISA judge, called the closest race of the championships, the historic win for Matthew Pinsent and James Cracknell in the coxless pairs final.
Equestrian: Sarah Ennis, who scorched to victory in the Scarvagh House international one-day event at the weekend, tops the list of eight named for the European three-day event championships at Pau, France in October, reports Grania Willis.
Ennis has been named to make her championship debut with the eight-year-old mare Killossery Katriona. Also named as definites are Carol Gee (Sportsfield Iceman), Austin O'Connor (Horseware Fab io), Ken Mahon (Test Flight) and Ann Hatton (Monatrea Bert).
The selectors have requested that Eric Smiley (Irish Patriot) and Sasha Harrison (All Love du Fenaud), whose horses have been out of action due to injury, must compete in next month's Necarne Castle CIC to prove fitness.
The eighth slot has been given to Patricia Donegan, who was sidelined by injury when she broke her shoulder, collarbone and several ribs at the end of June. She has also been asked to compete at Necarne to show she is fully recovered.
A team of four plus two individuals will travel to the championships.
World Student Games: James Nolan and Gareth Turnbull comfortably came through their 1,500 metre heats on the opening day of the athletics competition at the World Student Games in Beijing.
Nolan clocked three minutes 48.79 seconds when winning the first heat, while Turnbull took second in the fastest of the three heats, finishing in 3:45.60.
Robert Daly and Paul McKee progressed to the semi-finals of the 400 metres. Derval O'Rourke failed to progress beyond the first round of the 100 metre hurdles, however.
In the soccer competition Ireland beat Nigeria 2-1 in a match which will play a part in deciding the minor placings. Tony Tynan and David Martin scored the Irish goals.
Irish swimmer Donal O'Neill set a new national senior record in the 100 metres butterfly in a time of 56.41. He finished 22nd and Muiris ╙ Riada 28th.
Julie Douglas clocked 26.40 to qualify for the final of the 50m freestyle tomorrow night. Lee Kelleher set a personal best of 27.24 in the heats of the 50m freestyle.
Hockey: A hat-trick from Ballymoney player-coach Lynsey McVicker helped Ireland to a 7-1 win over Belgium in a practice international in Holland yesterday. Jill Orbinson (Portadown) scored two goals and Sarah Rand and Cathy McKean completed the scoring.
Tennis: Roscoe Tanner (49) is among the seeds for this weeks Irish men's open at Templeogue LTC. The American, who won the Australian Open in 1977 could be seeded at four behind top-seeded Dubliner John Doran, Luke Bourgoise and Vaughn Snyman of South Africa.
The seeded players in the women's Leinster Open are Karen Nugent, Elsa O'Riain, Gina Niland and Anne Marie Hogan.
Snooker: Michael Judge defeated Scotland's Graeme Dott 5-3 at the Regal Masters qualifying event in Stirling last night.
"The way I played there is no reason why I can't go on and win it," said the world number 28.
