Jenny Egan takes bronze medal at European Canoe Sprint Championships

Jenny Egan took a bronze medal for Ireland at the European Canoe Sprint Championships in Racice in the Czech Republic on Sunday. The 27-year-old was within a second of gold and was denied a silver medal by less than a quarter of a second in the K1 5,000m. The race was won by Maryna Litvinchuk of Belarus, with Irene Burgo of Italy second. The three had broken away from the field after 1,000m.

"It's the first senior European sprint medal for Ireland. I'm over the moon," Egan said. The Leixlip woman took World Cup medals in 2010, in Hungary, and 2011, also at Racice.

Egan said she had been running on “coffee and energy drinks” after a day in which she rose at 5.30am and competed in the B Finals of the K1 500m and K1 200m, her Olympic-class events (finishing 15th and 16th), before the K1 5,000m.

She missed out on qualifying for the London Olympics by one place, after countbacks, but is intent on putting that right. The first chance to qualify for the K1 200m and 500m (her best event) comes at the World Championships in August. “My speed has really improved this year. I’m very happy with the 500 and 200,” Egan said.

The hectic mix of shorter distances with the 5,000m is not a problem, she said, as the long-range winter work builds her strength and the sprint sharpness is vital in the 5,000m.

Pat O’Leary took fourth in his paracanoe final. Andrzej Jezierski pulled out of his C1 200m semi-final and Tom Brennan finished fifth in his K1 200m B Final, 14th overall. Barry Watkins and Michael Fitzsimons did not make the K1 1,000m final.