World Champion Mags Cremen honoured with another Echo Women in Sport award

Mags Cremen has achieved astonishing milestones in rowing, an Irish champion rower, a double Olympian, and now a World Champion.

And what’s more impressive is the 27-year-old did this first in lightweight, and then made the move to heavyweight and is now on top of the world.

The Rochestown athlete stormed to gold with Zoe Hyde from Killorglin in Kerry in the women’s double sculls at the 2026 World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam last month. Her outstanding performance saw her selected as The Echo Women in Sport winner for August, having previously won it in 2022 and last year. 

What a race it was in the Netherlands, exciting from start to finish, Ireland chasing down the reigning World champions The Netherlands, and refusing to give up. The Dutch were on home water, the crowd were cheering them on, but the Irish ladies had come here to do a job, and they stuck to it, as Irish flags and cheers spurred them on.

Mags and Zoe knew from the first heat that they were strong, and in a good position to take a medal, but they wanted gold... it means so much.

Dream come true

They were the stars of the show from the beginning, knocking in a good heat in a poor lane, leading from the front, powering through the water, style and class. Like everybody else they had to contend with windy conditions over the few days, and difficult rowing conditions and delays as they waited it out.

But they won their heat, and put in a measured and controlling performance in their semi, and sat into the boat for the final with the belief inside them that they could do it when it mattered most.

And how does it feel to be world champion?

“It’s sinking in now,” says Mags. “It’s a dream come true.

“The double is my favourite event, always has been. To be a World champion in the heavyweight, the best double in the world, it’s an amazing feeling.”

It all came together at the right time, says Mags. And later she would also win World silver with Konas Pazzaia of Queen’s University Belfast BC in the mixed double.

One shouldn’t underestimate the move from lightweight to heavyweight, prompted by the removal of the lightweight class from the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, the goal of all athletes.

“It was a big transition from lightweight to heavyweight, being able to fuel my body, it’s a totally different sport, and training is so different.

“This was a gamechanger for me, I had unlocked my potential.”

It’s only her second year into the heavyweight programme, and already the Cork athlete is stunning.

Low-sized for a heavyweight, she hasn’t let that stop her, and her drive to win is greater.

“In Paris (Olympics) I thought I was at the top of my game, but you’re always learning, you can always master it better.

The amount of compliments on our technique, and from other rowers, from other coaches, from our own coaches, it really does motivate you.” 

Ground work

The main coach remains Skibbereen’s Dominic Casey, but Skibbereen’s Denise Walsh is also now heavily involved in the success.

At training in Spain before the world champs Mags said they and all the crews put in a huge effort.

“We put in 300k of rowing and biking,” she says, and that didn’t include strength and conditioning work.

And it’s all paid off.

“I kind of feel like I’ve become one with the rowing stroke now,” which came after the “determination to get faster, hungry to do more every day, to impove, it feels great as we figure out the boat”.

With Zoe calling it from the bow and Mags setting the rate from the stroke seat, it was going to be special. And they stayed in contention throughout the final, never letting the Dutch get too far ahead, and Mags and Zoe could see that they have the beatings of the Dutch in the closing 100m.

At training we were in the depths of tiredness, but knew we were going well; we had been trying to get a close to world record time as possible.”

And in that final they gave it their all, with Mags setting a fast stroke rate from the start. They had won their heat, and won their semi-final, and they were on a mission.

At the quarter way stage Ireland were a close second to The Netherlands, at the 1,000 mark Ireland were just .09 of second behind the Dutch, and Ireland were upping the stroke rate and piling on the pressure.

But the Dutch responded. As reigning champions they were known for their strong pace from start to finish, and led by .46 of a second from Ireland at the 1500 mark, with just 500m to go.

“I had been having trouble with my glasses throughout the race,” said Mags, “but knew we were approaching the red buoys”, that signal the closing 200m, and the sprint would begin. But just before they hit the red buoys Mags took a look to her left at the Dutch, and suddenly upped the pace as Ireland made their move early.

The Dutch were known for their race speed consistency, the Irish are known for consistency and their sprint. It was going to be a cracking race for the line.

With 1800m of the 200m raced, Ireland’s turn of speed saw them draw level and edge marginally in front of the Dutch, the Dutch hit back and overtook Ireland, Mags and Zoe again hit the front, it was going to be an exciting finish.

As Mags and Zoe kept the sprint going they were too strong for the Dutch and started to pull away and crossed the line a half-a-boat length ahead to take gold. Ireland had never won a gold medal in women’s double sculls... and now we are world champions.

As they crossed the line it was emotion, and cue the celebrations.

A superb time of 6:43.48, just seconds outside the world record of 6:37. The dynamic Cork and Kerry duo have a new target in mind!