Henley rowing success for Westmeath native Aisling

It all started with the Mullingar Jets Swimming Club and led to victory in one of the largest rowing events in the world, the Royal Henley Regatta for Castletown-Geoghegan’s Aisling Hayes.

Aisling was a member of the Oxford Brookes University winning team in the recent finals of this international competition that attracted entries from all over the UK, Europe, America, Australia and New Zealand. Olympians, Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy took part in the race before her, the double sculls.

Aisling’s team competed in the Island Cup, which was held for the first time. Twelve teams entered with two making it through to the final. There were eight rowers and the coxswain directing the team as it battled its way to victory.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner this week, Aisling’s proud dad Derry said it all started with the Jets Swimming Club in Mullingar, of which she was a member for several years.

“It’s a great club and Aisling’s fitness and the way she developed as a sportsperson can all be attributed to the start she got there,” he said.

Aisling is the daughter of Derry and Margaret Hayes and sister of Helena and William. She went to school in Castletown Geoghegan and then Mercy, Kilbeggan, before going on to study at Preston University in England.

Aisling is a qualified pharmacist with the NHS, but two years ago she decided to further her studies at Oxford. It was then that she took up rowing earnestly.