It was gold for Aramoho-Wanganui Rowing Club's former prospect Martyn O'Leary as his Kiwi crew won the men's coxed four at the U23 World Rowing Championships in Rotterdam last week.
Unfortunately, AWRC's Jackie Gowler could only emulate older sister Kerri's Olympic Games efforts as she and clubmate Georgia Nugent-O'Leary were in the New Zealand women's eight who came narrowly fourth in their A final.
Martyn and team mates Cameron Webster, Charles Rogerson, Phillip Wilson and coxswain Sam Bosworth started slowly on the Willem Alexander Baan Rowing Course, being last at the 500m mark, but they powered home in the final sprint to see off the Italian and Australian crews in 6m 8.5s.
Although coxed fours racing is not an Olympic class, AWRC coach Ian Weenink said Rowing NZ continues to send teams to world championships to build up experience for their other crews, showing the former Wanganui Collegiate rower O'Leary remains very much in the plans.
Gowler and Nugent-O'Leary were in their first U23 championships after previously competing as juniors.