YESTERDAY WAS A good one in Poznan for Ireland’s top canoeist Jenny Egan as she bagged a silver medal in the women’s K1 5,000 metres at the canoe sprint of the World Cup.
The Dubliner was just over half a second behind the winner, Ukraine’s Inna Hryshchun, marginally missing out on gold but she was over the moon with her second-place finish.
“It was a really good race. I’m happy with it – it was my first 5,000 metre race of the year,” the 32-year-old told The Irish Times afterwards.
“It’s also my first time on a podium in Poznan. I’ve had some disastrous races here.”
Egan and Hryshchun broke clear of the rest of the field after the second portage, but the Ukrainian had the edge at the death while Slovakia’s Mariana Petrusova came third.
In 2016 and 2017, Egan claimed back-to-back gold World Cup medals in the K1 5,000 metres. Last June, she defended her crown yet again in Portugal — but this year, she’ll have to settle for silver.
Last August, she delivered Ireland’s first World Championship canoe sprint medal as she bagged bronze in Portugal.
Well and truly on the Olympic trail again, Egan missed out on qualification for both London and Rio by the narrowest of margins.
Next up is the World Cup in Duisburg next weekend.
Result: K1 5,000 – Final: 1 Ukraine 25:31.548, 2 Ireland (Egan) 25:32.112, 3 Slovakia 25:51.496.
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