PAUL O’DONOVAN AND Fintan McCarthy have secured Ireland’s first-ever rowing Olympic gold medal after they won the men’s lightweight double sculls final in Tokyo.
The Skibbereen pair produced a brilliant performance to finish first in a time of 6:06.43. The Germans fought all the way after bursting out of the blocks but when it mattered, the Irish boat hit the front and roared home down the last 500m.
Germany eventually took second with 6:07.29. The Italian claimed third clocking 6:14.30.
It was a tactical and technical masterclass. In windy conditions at the Sea Forest Waterway, McCarthy and O’Donovan summoned another gear to pull ahead as the line loomed.
It is Ireland’s second medal at the games after the women’s four of Aifric Keogh, Eimear Lambe, Fiona Murtagh and Emily Hegarty took bronze at the Sea Forest Waterway on Wednesday.
The gold medal completes a sensational 12 months for the duo that includes success at the European Championship and the World Cup regatta in Lucerne.
For O’Donovan, it is his second Olympic medal having won silver in Rio.
President Michael D Higgins sent his congratulations this morning:
“After the magnificent success in women’s rowing yesterday, today we celebrate Ireland’s first Olympic gold medal in rowing, won so deservedly by Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy in the lightweight double sculls,” he said in a statement.
“Theirs is a tremendous achievement, which gives great inspiration to young people and aspiring athletes all over Ireland.”
For all the doom and gloom talked about Tottenham this season (no signings, stadium delays, Poch to United, out of both domestic cups), they continue to jog just behind the top 2, while keeping the top 4 dogfight just out of sight in the rearview mirror. One loss and they’ll be branded bottle jobs again, but with Wembley form picking up, and a tasty tie against Dortmund coming up, I can’t help but be happy.
Hanging on in there. Not at their best but picking up another win. COYS
Spurs are the type of football club that would give ya the horn.
@limofax: just like your ma, good stuff.
COYS
I can’t suffer Michael Oliver either.
He was the last one picked in school who:
1) you stuck in nets cos he’s brutal at football
2) you then told him to keep time cos he was crap in goal
3) eventually made him referee cos he was brutal at everything else, then became a brutal ref
Leicester should have been out of sight but Spurs more clinical with the chances they had