EMILY Richards and Pip Thomas of Monmouth took gold in the sculls rowing events in the Metropolitan Regatta, held on the London 2012 Olympic lake.

Monmouth Comprehensive School pupil Emily, who comes from Staunton, and Pip took the Intermediate 1 Double Sculls title. Emily previously showed her mettle by winning the British girls' Under-16 single sculls championship.

The prestigious Metropolitan Regatta has its origins back in 1866, when the six-lane event was founded by Charles Dickens.

A spokesman said: "Tracking Welsh squad early pace-setters Emily Docherty and Imogen Evans through the 500m mark, Emily and Pip pushed past in the next quarter, squeezed out a length lead with 500m to race, and held off a late charge to win by three quarters of a length."

Monmouth Rowing Club captain, Mark Stuart-Woods, who cycled alongside the duo as they raced said: "It was a really gutsy performance in a tight final, and they deserve a real 'well done'".

Emily won four other prizes recently, at the 450 boat Monmouth Regatta, including the Under-18s quadruple sculls, along with fellow rowers Lauren Clarke, Tasha Bradley, and Bethan King. She also won the Under-18s Girls' Singles, plus IM2 and IM3 category women's sprint singles. Emily is said to be eyeing up a potential place in this year's GB Junior team, either at the World Junior Championships in Hamburg, Germany, in August, or the European Team Championships in Libourne, France in July.