Decorated Kilkenny rower gears up for World Championships

Kilkenny woman and New Ross Boat Club rower, Anna Brennan has been included in the crews that will represent Ireland at the upcoming U19 World Rowing Championships being held in Ontario, Canada from August 18-25.

The Senior and U23 World Championships will also be taking place here as a combined event.

The Royal Canadian Henley Course is the site of the regatta and has hosted multiple World Championships in the past including in; 2010, 1999, and 1970.

Brennan is a sixth year student at Presentation Kilkenny and has received unwavering support from this school over the last number of years.

Amongst her achievements to date are winning the; Women's Junior 16 Single Scull at the National Championships and the Women's Junior 18A Single category. She also represented Ireland at the Coupe de le Jeunesse in Amsterdam, featuiring in the Irish squad which won the B final.

Her sporting career was recognised at the Presentation Kilkenny School Awards Day in May, when she was awarded 'Elite Sports Person of the Year 2024'. 

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The local athlete's parents, Martina and Noel have also been very supportive of her sporting achievements all season. National trails took place once a month over the winter months at the National Rowing Centre in Inishcarra, Cork, and Brennan got an invite to all trials and camps. This involved travelling to Cork on a Friday afternoon with a single scull on the roof, racing Saturday and Sunday, and driving home in time for school and work Sunday night.

Brennan's younger sisters, Órla and Niamh, have also shown their encouragement to their older sister, taking turns to do an erg or bike session beside her in the dark winter evenings.

Ireland will send three junior crews to the regatta with only two girls selected as Brennan joins Moya Knowles of Skibbereen Rowing Club who join forces in the junior women’s double scull.

READ MORE: Kilkenny principal praises student's inclusion on Irish Rowing Team for Coupe de la Jeunesse

New Ross Boat Clubs head coach, Janet Walsh, has also been selected as part of the coaching staff for the World Championships for the third time.

Brennan has now relocated to Cork to the National Rowing Centre with the rest of the Irish team for the last big block of training before travelling to the World Championships. She will travel with the rest of the Irish squad to Canada later next month before a week's racing commences are Royal Canadian Henley Rowing Course in St Catharine's, Ontario, Canada.