GIEDRE Rakauskaite took her career World Rowing Championship gold medal tally to five by helping Great Britain earn a poignant triumph in Belgrade.
The Worcester rower teamed up with Ed Fuller, Morgan Fice-Noyes, Frankie Allen and cancer surviving coxswain Erin Kennedy to come home just under three seconds clear of USA in the PR3 mixed coxed four class.
The crew also earned a Paralympic quota place with their performances in Serbia and Rakauskaite is looking forward to reliving a thriller.
“It is an amazing feeling and the race was incredible,” she said.
“I can’t wait to watch it and I think I’ll be on the edge of my seat.”
The 32-year-old has now won four World Championship golds in this class, to go with her victory as part of the coxless pair last year.
An unbeaten season this time around means they will be among the favourites to defend the Paralympic crown Rakauskaite helped earn in Tokyo when the competition heads to Paris next summer while this success was particularly emotional for Kennedy.
The coxswain missed the competition 12 months ago while undergoing chemotherapy following her breast cancer diagnosis but returned earlier this year having been given the all clear.
European Championship gold in May marked the start of the emotional comeback and that has now been added to in style.
“It feels amazing to unite all the titles again,” Kennedy said.
“This time last year, I was sat at home feeling pretty sorry for myself but I was so proud of the team.
“I have been dreaming of this day for a really long time so to be back on the middle of the podium with the best team in the world, I couldn’t be happier.
“I have been chasing this. Being an athlete, you have ideas of how you compartmentalise and manage yourself and I have applied that hugely in my cancer world.
“I’m so grateful and I want to thank the National Lottery, who continued funding me throughout my treatment, British Rowing, my coaches and my teammates.
“I’ve felt like I had the biggest team behind me and it has been pretty incredible.”
British Rowing is the governing body for the sport and is responsible for the development of rowing in England and the training and selection of rowers to represent Great Britain. The GB Rowing Team is supported by the National Lottery Sports Fund. To find out more and to follow the team, head to https://www.britishrowing.org/
