Egan set for gruelling World Marathon test

JUST days after contesting the World Canoe Sprint Championships in the Czech Republic, Jenny Egan was back on her travels again, this time heading to South Africa for the World Marathon Championships.

The Lucan kayaker made it to the semi-finals of both the Women’s K1 500m and 200m events in Racice before finishing tenth in the K1 5km.

Her result in the latter was very impressive given that she had been caught up in a collision early on the race that consequently left her at the back end of the field.

“I was sixth [in the K1 5000m] at the World Championships in 2015 in Milan, Italy so I was hoping to improve on that performance and I think I could have been fighting for a medal if the collision had not happened” Egan told The Echo.

“As the collision in the 5000m left me at the back end of the field, I had to battle my way back up through the competitors, so to be able to do that and place 10th in the World it is still a good performance.

“I reached semi-finals in the K1 200m and K1 500m. I had wanted to qualify for finals in these events, but I now know what I need to work on to qualify for finals in the future,” she added.

A 5000m gold and bronze medal winner in World Cup competition this year, Egan will now turn her attention to the World Marathon Championships in South Africa.

There she will race in the Senior Women’s K1 26km today (Saturday) in Pietermaritzburg.