Sinéad Jennings took gold by beating two-time Olympic champion Constanta Burcica in the women's lightweight single sculls at the World Cup in Vienna yesterday.
"I am totally thrilled," said the Donegal woman, who only took up rowing about two years ago.The Romanian won gold in Atlanta and Sydney in the double scull with two different partners and also twice won World Championship gold.
Jennings will move into the double herself next year with her eyes set on Athens 2004 and this was a perfect confidence boost.The former triathlete needed her tough streak yesterday.She took off determinedly in extremely rough conditions and was six seconds up by the 1,000 metres but ran into very rough water.
With 250 metres to go Burcica had caught her. "I thought it's now or never," said Jennings, and she pulled clear to win by .85 of a second.