Gold for Ireland's Siobhan McCrohan at World Rowing Championships

Ireland's Siobhan McCrohan has won the gold medal in the lightweight women's sculls final at the World Rowing Championships in Serbia.

McCrohan produced the performance of her life in hot and humid conditions in Belgrade, beating out Mexico's Kenia Lechuga and Sophia Luwis for the top podium spot.

Handed a favourable draw in lane one after winning her A/B semi-final on Thursday, McCrohan executed her race plan to perfection in gruelling conditions.

Records were never going to be broken in such heat and the Claregalway woman took her time to get going, pacing herself in the early stages as Martine Veldhuis of the Netherlands stormed into a commanding early lead.

By the 500m mark McCrohan had settled into third place, behind Veldhuis and Lechuga with the Dutch women already being reeled in.

McCrohan improved to second place at the halfway point, sitting on the shoulder of Lechuga, just 0.27 behind the Mexican as Veldhuis was unable to keep pace and dropped out of the reckoning.

America's Luwis then forced her way into the conversation, putting pressure on McCrohan, who kept her cool and stuck to her race plan, waiting for her moment to attack as she, Veldhuis and Luwis pulled away from the chasing pack.

The Irishwomen's moment came as the scullers passed the 1500m mark. She upped her workrate and with 300m to go, she overtook Veldhuis, never looking back.

With clear, calm water in front of her, she extended her lead in the closing stages, pulling away from Veldhuis and Luwis, leaving them to battle it out for silver.

McCrohan crossed the line in a time of 8:47.96 and while she certainly claimed faster times in past races, none will have meant as much as this one.