Sanita Puspure wins last Irish rowing race at Rio

Win leaves 34-year-old 13th overall - completing a regatta where Ireland placed sixth

Sanita Puspure of Ireland competes in the women’s single sculls C final. Photograph: Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Sanita Puspure of Ireland competes in the women’s single sculls C final. Photograph: Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Ireland's rowing programme in Rio ended with an emphatic win in the C final of the singles sculls by Sanita Puspure.

The 34-year-old dominated this race, to take 13th overall. Only Lina Saltyte of Lithuania mounted a challenge to Puspure as she led down the course.

Puspure lost her chance of an A Final place when she was pushed out in an extremely competitive quarter final. Puspure’s disappointment at the unlucky draw was justified: Kim Brennan of Australia and Jingli Duan of China, who headed the Ireland sculler in that race, took gold and bronze in the A Final.

Alan Campbell pulled out of the B Final of the men's single sculls. He was ill. The Coleraine man who competes for Britain will be placed 12th overall.

Liam Gorman

Liam Gorman

Liam Gorman is a contributor to The Irish Times specialising in rowing