KILLORGLIN-BASED rower Monika Dukarska, a PhD researcher at Munster Technological University, expressed her delight at winning the gold medal at the World Coastal Rowing Championships, which took place last weekend in Genoa, Italy.
Racing in the Coastal Women’s Solo final, Monika clinched the top spot with a time of 20:39.51.
The 34-year-old said she is “over the moon” to win the title for a second year in a row. It is her fifth world championship gold and ninth medal overall since she began coastal rowing in 2008.
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Speaking following her victory, Monika said, “This year’s championship was particularly unpredictable and challenging, with the location and weather playing a major role. My heat on Saturday was incredibly tough. The waves were large, making it difficult to control the boat. I anticipated slightly better conditions for the final, but I knew I’d have to work hard to battle the waves, especially with the course consisting of eight turning points.”
During the race, Monika found herself in second place, working hard to close the gap with Dymchenko of Azerbaijan, who led. Midway through the race, Dymchenko incorrectly rounded one of the buoys, which led to her automatic disqualification.
Until Monika reached the beach, she thought she had finished second and was content with that given the challenges of balancing her PhD, work, and training over the last year.
She said; “When I reached the beach, everyone was congratulating me, telling me I’d won. I was absolutely thrilled!
She added; “Coastal rowing is all about navigating an open sea course, where you face whatever challenges Mother Nature throws at you. That’s my favourite part of this sport—the combination of physical effort, mental toughness, bravery, stamina, course knowledge, and the strategic thinking required to succeed. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported and enabled me to compete and defend my title. It’s truly a team effort.”
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