Ireland’s World Rowing Champion and Tokyo Olympic favourite, Sanita Puspure, has been named as the Cork Person of the Month for March 2020.

The Ballincollig resident was part of Ireland’s 2012 Olympic rowing team and qualified for the women’s single sculls at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

She first came to Ireland from Latvia in 2006 and became an Irish citizen in 2011.

She lives in Cork with her husband Kaspar and children Patrick, 12, and Daniela, 11.

She is currently training at the National Rowing Centre in Farran Woods in preparation for the Tokyo Olympics, which is postponed until the summer of 2021.

The rowing champion was also recently chosen as the Irish Times/Sport Ireland’s Sports Woman of the Year, beating other world champions, including boxer Katie Taylor, for that honour.

Ms Puspure said she was delighted to receive the Cork Person of the Month award: “This award acknowledges the hard work and dedication that goes into representing Ireland at sporting events. I’m delighted to be named Cork Person of the Month and I am proud to have the support of the people of Cork behind me, once again.”

Cork Person of the Year awards organiser Manus O’Callaghan added: “All of Cork are wishing Sanita well in the future, as this two-time world champion seems to be in the form of her life.”

Sanita Puspure’s name will now go forward for possible selection as Cork Person of the Year at an awards lunch at the end of this year.

First founded back in 1993, the Cork Person of the Month and of the Year awards aim to honour the success of local heroes and the contribution of Cork people to their local community.

Previous recipients of the Cork Person of the Month award have included advocate and campaigner Stephen Teap, Mallow amateur golfer James Sugrue, and hurler Patrick Horgan.