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Tom Doyle29 July 2021
Fintan McCarthy and Paul O’Donovan held off a late charge from Germany to win the gold medal for Ireland in the men’s lightweight double sculls.
The Irish boat looked secure through the first 1,000 meters before German duo Jonathan Rommelmann and Jason Osborne closed the gap with 500 to go and threatened to pull even.
A late surge over the final 200 meters sent the Irish to the win by 0.86 seconds, while Italy’s Stefano Oppo and Pietro Ruta won bronze.
Victory for McCarthy and O’Donovan ensured the duo made history by winning Ireland’s first ever rowing gold.
The resut at the Tokyo Olympics also earned the Irish their first gold medal since Katie Taylor in 2012.
Additional reporting by Reuters.
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