Local rowing star Paige Barr has continued her outstanding season, claiming gold in the women’s eight at the World Rowing Cup III in Poznan, Poland, last Sunday.
Barr rowed in the bow seat in the preliminary race and in the two seat in the final of the Australian number one crew, which also contained Bronwyn Cox, Georgina Rowe, Katrina Werry, Jacqueline Swick, Giorgia Patten, Sarah Hawe, Lucy Stephen OAM and Hayley Verbunt (coxswain).
Australia number one led from wire-to-wire to claim gold from Australia number two, Netherlands and Romania.
The win was part of a gold rush for Team Australia who finished on top of the medal tally at the regatta, claiming 11 medals out of 13 events, including six gold.
Other gold medal winners were the men’s eight, women’s pair, women’s double scull, PR3 mixed double scull and the women’s single scull.
The World Rowing Cup III was the last international regatta before the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Australian Rowing Team left no stone unturned as they unfurled one of the best world cup results in its history.
“It was a great team result. We know the competition will be deeper in Paris, however, there have been improvements across all the boats since the Luzern World Cup,” performance director Paul Thompson said.
The Australian team will now head their European Training Centre in Italy to prepare for the Games.
The official team for the Paris Olympics will be named on June 30, withy Barr quietly confident of being selected.
“I think we have to go in being confident, but there are always things to work on and fine tune,” Barr said.
IMAGE: Local rowing star Paige Barr continues to go from strength-to-strength winning another gold medal in the Australian women’s eight, this time at the World Rowing Cup III in Poznan, Poland. Barr looks set to make the Australian team for the upcoming Paris Olympics. (PS)
