Alan Campbell takes fifth in single sculls semi-final

Alan Campbell missed out on a place in Sunday's A final in Germany

Northern Ireland rower Alan Campbell finished fifth in Saturday's men's single sculls semi-final at the European Championships in Brandenburg.

Campbell was third at the halfway stage but faded in the closing stages as defending European champion, Croatian Damir Martin, led from start to finish.

The Coleraine oarsman will compete in the 'B' final on Sunday morning.

Enniskillen's Holly Nixon claimed a place in Sunday's final as part of the Great Britain women's quadruple sculls.

Kristina Stiller, Jess Leyden and Rosamund Bradbury completed the quartet, who were third in the repechage behind Ukraine and Netherlands.

The crew, who are targeting the final Olympic qualifying regatta in Lucerne later this month, will be looking to set down a marker against Ukraine and Russia, the other two countries in the final who have yet to qualify for Rio.

Campbell was a distant third in his single sculls heat on Friday but recovered to set the fastest time of the day in the repechage to make the semi-finals.

A number of Northern Ireland's rowers performed well on the opening day of the championships in Germany.

Holly Nixon (second from right) is part of Britain's quadruple sculls team

Joel Cassells and Great Britain partner Sam Scrimgeour progressed to Sunday's final of the men's lightweight pair.

Peter Chambers and the GB lightweight four are also straight into their final on Sunday.

Campbell, representing GB for a 10th successive year, is set to compete at a fourth Olympic Games.

Campbell and fellow Coleraine rower Peter Chambers were medallists at London 2012.

The regatta is the last event ahead of the final Olympic qualifier in Lucerne.

Nixon, Stiller, Leyden and Bradbury finished fourth at the World Cup regatta in Varese last month and will hope to be in the medals in Brandenburg.

Richard Chambers withdrew from the lightweight men's double scull with Will Fletcher as he continues his recovery from a hand injury but another Coleraine man Cassells is in action in the non-Olympic lightweight pair with Scrimgeour.

Cassells and Scrimgeour are the defending world champions in the class.