Three Kilkenny women were part of the Irish Senior Women’s Dragon Boat Racing Team at the International Dragon Boat Federation World Championships in Brandenburg, Germany last week. Anne Corr, Sheila Jordan and Jane Tynan were part of the 12-strong squad that included athletes from Dublin, Clare, Belfast and Carlow and marked the first time that an Irish team had taken part at a World Championships in the sport as the Kilkenny members of the team look back fondly on the landmark occasion. “Wearing the green jersey and representing Ireland at the World Championships was an incredible honour,” Anne said. “What made it truly special was doing it with an amazing team of women whose hard work, sacrifice and determination put Ireland on the world stage,” she added. The team competed in the Senior A women’s small boat category across 200m, 500m and 2000m and though they didn’t reach the finals in the shorter distances, their standout performance came in the 2000m final where they recorded a ninth place finish, reaching the line less than 30 seconds after winners China. “Paddling to the start line with the best in the world was pure adrenaline and excitement, then fierce focus to do what we had trained for. I will remember it for a long time,” Sheila reflected. SEE ALSO: OPINION: Plenty of positives, but could new arrival spell trouble for city centre? - Kilkenny Live Canada finished first in the overall medal table and the Irish team have now returned to their clubs with attention turning to the 2026 European Nations Championships in Helsinki and the next World Championships in Hong Kong in two years time. The Irish squad, who earned their places through rigorous national trials and months of training, were originally shouldering the costs of flights, accommodation and race fees themselves, but are grateful for the fantastic support of their fundraising campaign which reduced this burden. Dragon boating still lacks a national sponsor, but the team hope that their efforts will help the continued development of the sport in Ireland and inspire the next generation to keep performing at the highest level as Jane concludes: “I cherished every moment of the journey and could not be prouder. I cannot wait to see this team continue to grow stronger and achieve everything they set out to do.”