A WORCESTER rower now has five gold medals after helping Great Britain earn a poignant triumph in Belgrade.

Giedre Rakauskaite added to her World Rowing Championship gold medal tally, teaming up with Ed Fuller, Morgan Fice-Noyes, Frankie Allen and coxswain Erin Kennedy, to come home just under three seconds clear of USA in the PR3 mixed coxed four class.

The crew also earned a Paralympic quota place with their performances in Serbia and Rakauskaite cannot wait to relive the thriller.

She said: "It is an amazing feeling and the race was incredible. I can’t wait to watch it and I think I’ll be on the edge of my seat.”

The 32-year-old has now won four World Championship golds in this class to go with her victory as part of the coxless pair last year.

An unbeaten season this time around means they will be among the favourites to defend the Paralympic crown Rakauskaite helped earn in Tokyo when the competition heads to Paris next summer while this success was particularly emotional for Erin Kennedy.

The coxswain missed the competition 12 months ago while undergoing chemotherapy following her breast cancer diagnosis but returned earlier this year having been given the all-clear.

European Championship gold in May marked the start of the emotional comeback and that has now been added to in style.

Erin Kennedy said: “It feels amazing to unite all the titles again. This time last year, I was sat at home feeling pretty sorry for myself but I was so proud of the team.

“I have been dreaming of this day for a really long time so to be back on the middle of the podium with the best team in the world, I couldn’t be happier.

“I have been chasing this. Being an athlete, you have ideas of how you compartmentalise and manage yourself and I have applied that hugely in my cancer world.

“I’m so grateful and I want to thank the National Lottery, who continued funding me throughout my treatment, British Rowing, my coaches and my teammates.

“I’ve felt like I had the biggest team behind me and it has been pretty incredible.”