'They have done brilliantly': Fermoy Rowing Club say they are 'super proud' of Alison Bergin and Zoe Hyde

Fermoy Rowing Club said they are “super proud” of their rower Alison Bergin who is competing at this year's Olympics. 

The 22-year-old Kildinan native made her debut at the Games this year, competing alongside her Kerry counterpart Zoe Hyde in the Women’s Double Sculls.

With the duo finishing fifth place in Tuesday’s semi-final, with a time of 6.55.08, the pair missed out on their chance at an Olympic medal.

After placing fourth this morning in the B Final, with a time of 6:55:62, the duo have secured an overall top 10 placing.

Speaking to The Echo ahead of this morning's event, Les Mahon, Secretary of Fermoy Rowing Club said: "It is their first Olympics and they are competing in a very competitive boat class, [and] to add to that, the conditions, having been here in the 35 degree heat, I could barely walk let alone row a race.

"They have done brilliantly.

“In the end [Tuesday’s] race was to decide if they were in the top 6 or top 12 best rowers in the world, not bad company to be keeping.

“While I am sure the girls are very disappointed, they will be back still hungry, and faster, in the years to come, we have no doubt,” he added.

“We are super proud of them.”

Meanwhile, Team Ireland has secured another bronze medal at the Olympic Games following this morning’s men’s double sculls rowing finals.

Philip Doyle, two-time Olympian of Belfast Boat Club, and Daire Lynch, Olympic debutant of Clonmel Rowing Club, were vying for the top spot today against Team Romania and Team Netherlands in what could only be described as a nail-biting performance.

With only 600 metres to go in the final race, the Irish duo were holding steadfast behind Team USA in fourth place, ultimately pushing on within the last leg to bring home the bronze medal position.

As Ireland’s first Olympic medal in the men’s double sculls, Doyle and Lynch came out third with a finishing time of 6:15.17, a hares-breadth behind their Dutch rivals, who finished in second with 6:13.92, beaten out for gold by Romania with 6:12.58.

The medal ceremony is due to get underway any minute now where the pair will receive their honoured prize.

Speaking after the race to RTÉ, Doyle said: “We pushed harder through the middle, and thankfully we had enough to keep going.

“We’ll look back and see what we can improve.

“First medal ever, it’s nice to write that into the history books.

“It’s nice to step out and get the podium for everyone at home.” Lynch added: “We were going toe-to-toe with the Dutch.

“We pushed it on.” 

It’s been a great morning for Irish rowing so far, with the women’s four, consisting of Emily Hegarty, Natalie Long, and Imogen Magner from Cork alongside Eimear Lambe from Dublin, securing first in the B Finals, as well Cork’s Alison Bergin and Kerry's Zoe Hyde placing fourth in the women’s double sculls B Finals.