SPORT: Want to improve your pulling power?

“Rowing is a sport for dreamers. As long as you put in the work, you can own the dream, when the work stops, the dream disappears” – James Dietz

Indeed, the university rowing is built on the premise of dreams. No other sport at Queen’s allows you to show up at try-outs with no previous experience and become a potential part of an Olympic racing team! The Queen’s team training is intensive. During the cold winter months a Queen’s rower is expected to rise six out of seven mornings to perform cardio-vascular activities; alternatively, if they are not to be found pumping away in the PEC, they are pushing their bodies to unknown boundaries on the water. Other students sometimes find it a personal achievement to rise before eleven and make it to class on time.

BY ORLA MACKLE

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SPORT: Not a time to bet

For anybody looking to put a punt on who’s going to win the Premier League or even clinch a Champions League place this year, they should probably withhold such confidence. Already this season, title holders Manchester United have been beaten my newcomers Burnley, Liverpool have went on their worst run since 1987 having lost four games in a row, and Chelsea were deservedly beaten my top four hopefuls Aston Villa. The established order is going through a shaky time indeed.

BY JASON GALLAGHER

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SPORT: Unlucky Irish fail to hold Italy

Ireland 2 – Italy 2

Geovanni Trappatoni’s men got off to the best possible start when Liam Lawrence’s squared free kick to Glenn Whelan met a sublime strike to put the hosts ahead. The Republic famously upset the Italians in 1994 by scoring early and holding out for the win. History would not repeat itself, however; just 17 minutes later the visitors were level when Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given fumbled a Mauro Camoranesi header at his near post from an Andrea Pirlo corner. The Italians, for whom a draw was sufficient, quite predictably shut up shop and held on to the ball without really testing Shay Given’s goal. The second half was to begin with Given picking the ball out of his own net again; fortunately for the Irish, however, Iaquinta’s header was ruled offside.

BY BRIAN QUINN

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SPORT: QUB’s got talent

Media and sport go hand in hand in today’s society. Sport has become such a big part of our lives, and this may have a lot to do with much of it being covered in great detail by the media. Television mainly, allows us to follow a clubs success, and create our own judgements on their performance. So the issue of broadcasting Queen’s soccer and GAA matches, with the help of a live stream, to the Students Union has been raised quite recently.

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