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World champions: Fintan McCarthy and Paul O'Donovan. Detlev Seyb/INPHO

Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy win gold at World Rowing Championships

What a performance.

PAUL O’DONOVAN AND Fintan McCarthy have powered to a gold medal in the Men’s Double Sculls final at the World Rowing Championships in the Czech Republic.

The Skibbereen stars produced another superb performance, clocking a time of 6:16.46 to be crowned world champions once more.

O’Donovan and McCarthy cruised home, comfortably finishing first. “It’s fine, yeah,” O’Donovan told RTÉ Sport in a typically nonchalant interview afterwards:

The 2020 Olympic champions and firm favourites were last after 700 metres, but were typically finding their rhythm and getting into their stride. They grabbed the lead by halfway, clocking 3:06.81 as they pulled away from the rest of the field to cross the line well clear. Italy and Ukraine were second and third respectively.

There was huge disappointment for the Irish Women’s Four of Aifric Keogh, Eimear Lambe, Fiona Murtagh, Emily Hegarty, who finished sixth in their final afterwards.

The quartet landed a brilliant bronze at last summer’s Olympic Games, so today’s result will be particularly gut-wrenching. Great Britain took the crown, with the Netherlands and Australia in second and third.

Earlier today, Margaret Cremen and Aoife Casey secured a bronze medal in the Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls final.

Katie O’Brien and Steven McGowan finished fifth in the Mixed Double Sculls final, while the Irish Men’s Four of John Kearney, Ross Corrigan, Nathan Timoney and Jack Dorney, and Women’s Pair of Natalie Long and Tara Hanlon, were second in their respective B finals.

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    Mute Tiarnach
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    Sep 24th 2022, 1:37 PM

    Unbelievable and underestimated their achievements!

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    Mute Johnny Honest
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    Sep 24th 2022, 2:23 PM

    @Tiarnach: completely underestimated which is such a shame. To think people used to get up in the middle of the night to watch that ar*ehol* Conor McGregor fight. Look at these lads, practically unbeatable and it is nearly ignored. Fair play to those lads. Absolute animals

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    Mute Mark Sheehan
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    Sep 24th 2022, 2:45 PM

    @Johnny Honest: how about judging them on their own merits rather than using their achievements to have a pop at someone else.

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    Mute Johnny Honest
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    Sep 24th 2022, 2:56 PM

    @Mark Sheehan: a bit touchy there mark. Hahaha

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    Mute Mark Sheehan
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    Sep 24th 2022, 3:20 PM

    @Johnny Honest: ,no, have no time for McGregor or MMA ,comparing the 2 lads to him is an injustice to their achievement but is just about par for this and the journal.

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    Mute Johnny Honest
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    Sep 24th 2022, 3:42 PM

    @Mark Sheehan: I think you should read my first comment, I never compared anyone to anyone. But if you don’t understand simple English, I can’t help you here bud

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    Mute Shane Scanlan
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    Sep 24th 2022, 1:37 PM

    Split Skibereen in 2!

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    Mute Karlos McGrath
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    Sep 24th 2022, 2:28 PM

    @Shane Scanlan: Hahaha.. Nice one!

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    Mute Michael Cunningham
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    Sep 24th 2022, 1:38 PM

    Unbelievable. Well done lads

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    Mute sean o'dhubhghaill
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    Sep 24th 2022, 1:44 PM

    Most successful Irish sports stars in the most successful Irish sport!

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    Mute James Butler
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    Sep 24th 2022, 2:11 PM

    Paul O’Donovan must be one of the greatest, if not THE greatest, sports person we’ve ever produced. What a legend

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    Mute Johnny Honest
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    Sep 24th 2022, 2:25 PM

    @James Butler: himself and Katie Taylor. And to think they are both so down to earth about their achievements makes it even better

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    Mute Diarmuid Quinn
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    Sep 24th 2022, 2:50 PM

    @James Butler: he’s certainly in the conversation, and may well go down as THE greatest once he’s retired

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    Mute Mike Foley
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    Sep 24th 2022, 3:48 PM

    @James Butler: He’s exceptional. Not appreciated enough.

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    Mute Kieran Lynch
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    Sep 24th 2022, 4:20 PM

    @James Butler: Throwing my oar in (sorry) I would like to add Jason Smyth to that group. He is often overlooked and he has Paralympic, World, European Golds and world records. Narrowly missed out in competing in both Paralympics and Olympics in 2012. Wouldnt be out of place in such vaulted company.

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    Mute Middleton Méa
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    Sep 24th 2022, 1:37 PM

    Well done and best wishes

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    Mute Paul Collins
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    Sep 24th 2022, 1:37 PM

    Well done lads

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    Mute Stephen Feerick
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    Sep 24th 2022, 1:43 PM

    Fair play..nice to read some good news for a change.

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    Mute mcr
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    Sep 24th 2022, 1:37 PM

    Pulling like dogs fair play to them

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    Mute Una Dwyer
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    Sep 24th 2022, 1:42 PM

    Well done guys

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    Mute Pauly Kel
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    Sep 24th 2022, 1:44 PM

    They need to erect a trinity statue of the o donovans and McCarthy down in skibereen. Legends..

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    Mute Veronica Conway
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    Sep 24th 2022, 1:49 PM

    Congratulations and well done to you both.

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    Mute Connie O Reilly
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    Sep 24th 2022, 1:57 PM

    Well done boys ur brilliant

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    Mute Julian Coulter
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    Sep 24th 2022, 4:49 PM
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    Mute Mike Kennedy
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    Sep 24th 2022, 3:33 PM

    National treasures to be sure… their achievements are almost taken for granted at this stage I’d say? Brilliant beyond belief.
    Many congratulations.

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    Mute Denis O Sullivan
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    Sep 24th 2022, 3:47 PM

    Fabulous to see the supreme confidence in their ability of the Skibereen boys to lazily set out at the start knowing they could push on when required
    Kudos to O Donovan/Mccarthy

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    Mute BMJF
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    Sep 24th 2022, 4:14 PM

    @Denis O Sullivan: they haven’t had much time together this year – the part of the race where that often shows is the start when the rating is very high. Not much about laziness and more about establishing an early rhythm that would see them fastest over 2k

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    Mute SJJ
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    Sep 24th 2022, 1:39 PM

    Katy Taylor to win sport personality regardless

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    Mute Tom
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    Sep 24th 2022, 2:26 PM

    Pull like a dog

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    Mute Jonathan
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    Sep 24th 2022, 4:35 PM

    Class

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    Mute James Murphy
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    Sep 24th 2022, 9:43 PM

    Am I the only one who thinks he comes across as ignorant

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    Mute sean o'dhubhghaill
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    Sep 25th 2022, 8:18 AM

    @James Murphy: Possibly yes.

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    Mute Dylan Cotter
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    Sep 25th 2022, 10:12 AM

    @James Murphy: Agreed, he’s usually understated in a friendly way whereas that was just plain grumpy

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