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:

"It's fine yeah" Paul O'Donovan not getting carried away with a fifth consecutive World Rowing Championship gold medal. Fintan McCarthy admits to being "really happy" | 📺 Watch #WRChamps live now on @RTEOne and @RTEPlayer https://t.co/nKLXOjzjmg #WRCHRacice pic.twitter.com/YHhs69l9VU

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) September 24, 2022

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.