Kiwi rowers Grace Prendergast and Kerri Williams have claimed gold at the rowing world championships in the Czech Republic, dominating the final of the women's pair.
The duo have dominated the event in recent years with Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020, plus first-place finishes at the 2019 and 2017 world championships.
After a tight opening 1000 metres, the Kiwis showed their class to pull away and win comfortably by 2.26 seconds.
"We came into the world champs with no real expectations," said Prendergast, who also spent time this season rowing in the Cambridge University women's eight in England.
"We just wanted to enjoy the year and see where it took us, and couldn't be happier with the results."
The race was tight early, with British pair Emily Ford and Esme Booth starting strongly and taking an early lead at 500m, with the Olympic champions just behind.
The Kiwi pair started asserting their dominance, taking a 1.59 second lead over the British at the halfway mark.
Prendergast and Williams didn't look back, and cruised to victory from fast-finishing Netherlands duo Ymkje Clevering and Veronique Meester, with Americans Maddie Wanamaker and Claire Collins a further 2.01 seconds behind.
"We did still have an extra gear, if we needed it," Williams said.
"One of the more enjoyable races, so really exciting for us. we don't think we've seen the best of our boat yet."
Meanwhile, the men's pair of Tom Mackintosh and Matt MacDonald finished last in their final, 5.44 seconds off the winners, but a respectable result after transitioning from last year's champion eight at Tokyo.
