The Southern Star's coverage of the Olympics in brought to you in partnership with Cork County Council
OLYMPIC rowers go through intense training sessions to ensure they have the staying power to push through the pain and drive for the finish line until the very end.
It's harder than it looks, and it looks pretty hard. World-class rowers have a combination of pure strength, impeccable technique and great lung capacity.
With all that in mind, we sent Star Sport reporter Seán Holland to Skibbereen Rowing Club – who boast four Olympians competing in Paris – to try an Olympic rower's training session for himself.
Skibbereen Rowing Club coach Emily Dulohery shows Seán how to stretch and row like an Olympian, before taking him out on the River Ilen to put him to the test.
Four of Ireland's sixteen rowers heading to Paris come from Skibbereen, and the club recently brought their national title haul to a record 199.
There's obviously something in the water in West Cork, with this local club bringing medals back from Olympic games in 2016 and 2021. There could be more on the way.
Good luck to the West Cork rowers this summer! Watch above.
***
Thank you to Emily Dulohery and everyone at Skibbereen Rowing Club for welcoming us.
Video produced by Kieran McCarthy, Seán Holland and Dylan Mangan. Videography: Tony O'Shaughnessy. Edited by Dylan Mangan.
Don't miss this week's Southern Star for our special souvenir supplement AND a free giant glossy poster, out Thursday, July 25th.
