Ireland’s Paul O’Donovan completes golden summer with World Championship win in Canada

Ireland’s Paul O’Donovan completed his golden summer by winning the lightweight single sculls title at the World Championships in Canada on Saturday.

Just over three weeks on from defending his Olympic lightweight doubles title with Skibbereen colleague Fintan McCarthy, 30-year-old O’Donovan added gold when winning the singles final by over two seconds.

A blistering start by Greece’s Antonios Papakonstantinou gave him the lead after 500 metres in St Catharines, and although O’Donovan was last of the six boats at the quarter-mark, he was less than a second down.

By halfway, O’Donovan was up to second and primed for his stronger closing half that has se...
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