Ireland’s Women’s Fours Rowing team have brought Olympic glory to Ireland.

Emily Hegarty of Skibbereen, Co. Cork has become Ireland’s first medallist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, along with teammates Aifric Keogh, Eimear Lambe and Fiona Murtagh. The rowers won bronze this morning after finishing third in the Women’s Fours final.

They finished the race, which happened at around 3am Ireland time, with a blistering time of 6:20.46 and added themselves to the history books.

"The First Four!" @aifricsk, @EimearLambo, @fionamurty and @emily_hegartyy collect their four bronze medals 🥉🥉🥉🥉and the first #Olympics medals for @TeamIreland !! 💚☘️🚣‍♀️

📸 @MorganTreacy 💚 @RowingIreland #TeamIreland #Tokyo2020 💚 pic.twitter.com/OIe6pPk8UM

— Inpho Photography (@Inphosports) July 28, 2021

Even sweeter still, the girls reached their place on the podium by crossing the finish line a nail-biting 1.06 seconds before their nearest competitor, Team GB, who finished in 4th place. The success also makes the crew the first four women to win an Olympic medal for Ireland in the sport of rowing (though, hopefully, Cork’s Sanita Puspure will follow them up on that in a few days time).

The achievement marks Ireland’s 51st medal throughout the history of the Olympic Games.

Hegarty, 23, is part of the UCC Rowing Club, and is studying biological science. Her Rowing Ireland profile states that she has been rowing since 2009, and her previous achievements include winning Bronze in the 2020 European U23 Championships in Duisburg in the Women’s Pair, and winning Silver at the 2019 World U23 Rowing Championships in Sarasota.

Australia took home the Gold in both the men’s and Women’s Fours, with Netherlands pipping Ireland to Silver here.

Header image via Rowing Ireland