European Championships Munich 2022: Cox Erin Kennedy wins gold after cancer diagnosis

Erin Kennedy helped Great Britain claim a dominant European Championship Para-rowing gold three months after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

The 30-year-old cox had had two rounds of chemotherapy when she was named in the squad for Munich.

Frankie Allen, Giedre Rakauskaite, Ed Fuller and Ollie Stanhope defended their PR3 mixed coxed four title ahead of France and Germany.

"Today's been really emotional for me," a tearful Kennedy told BBC Sport.

"I'm really holding it together. I'm just really proud of the team. It's a lot for me to take but it's also a lot for them. They've picked me up every time."

Britain finished the 2,000m course in 19.33 seconds clear of France in seven minutes 6.73 seconds.

Kennedy, who has won one Paralympic and two world titles, will now step away from the crew to continue her treatment.

She said leaving the squad for the rest of the season was "a wrench" that "really hurts", but that she remains focused on the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris.

"If there's anything motivating me to get better it's to come back and take this crew to Paris," she said.

"It's a privilege to have something I love so much to really drive me."

'A different vibe' in GB rowing

Having claimed four gold medals, two silvers and a bronze on Saturday, Britain kicked off the final day of rowing with two early wins.

Following the PR3 victory, Imogen Grant and Emily Craig won lightweight women's doubles sculls gold.

The women's eight - six of whom had already won medals in Munich - took silver after being passed by Romania in the final 500m.

Graeme Thomas finished fifth in the men's single sculls, the final race of the regatta.

Britain failed to win Olympic rowing gold for the first time in 41 years at the Tokyo Games in 2021, but appear renewed under new men's head coach Paul Stannard and women's head coach Andrew Randell.

"Coming into Andrew's programme and the culture he's brought to the women's squad... it's a completely different vibe," Craig said.

British Rowing director of performance Louise Kingsley said the European Championships were a "stepping stone" for September's World Championships in the Czech Republic.

"It's fantastic after the trials and tribulations of Tokyo to get back on the front foot and be standing on the podium," she said.

"We've got another month to build on this. It's great to have European champions, but we're looking for world champions."

• European Championships medal table

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