O'Donovan Wins Furious Battle in World Rowing Quarter-Final

24th August 2016

Paul O'Donovan Credit: Twitter

#Rowing: Paul O’Donovan won a spirited battle with Colin Ethridge of the United States to qualify in top spot from his quarter-final of the lightweight single sculls at the World Rowing Championships in Rotterdam today. The 22-year-old Irishman had some quality opponents in this race. Luka Radonic of Croatia, a medallist in each of the three World Cups in this event this season, led through 500m and 1,000m marks. O’Donovan passed him, but Ethridge then launched a sustained attack. He raised his stroke rate to 40 as he battled to take the lead off the Irishman. O’Donovan did more that match him, and won. Both Ethridge and Radonic join the UCD man in the semi-finals.

World Rowing Championships, Rotterdam (Irish interest, selected results)

Men

Lightweight Single Sculls - Quarter-Final Two (Three to A/B Semi-Finals): 1 Ireland (P O’Donovan) 6:54.79, 2 United States 6:57.06, 3 Croatia (L Radonic) 7:01.04; 4 Poland 7:04.48, 5 Russia 7:09.48, 6 Sweden 7:21.77.

Junior Double Sculls - Heat Five (Four to Quarter-Finals; rest to repechage): New Zealand 6:28.44, 2 Ireland (R Byrne, D Lynch) 6:33.28, 3 Belarus 6:33.35, 4 South Africa 6:37.82.

Women

Junior Double Sculls - Heat One (Winner to A/B Semi-Final; rest to Repechage): 1 United States 7:08.57; 4 Ireland (A Casey, E Hegarty) 7:25.93.

Published in Rowing

About The Author

Liam Gorman

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Liam Gorman is a writer and reporter. He is the co-author of Little Lady, One Man, Big Ocean, published in the United States and Canada as Crossing the Swell. He is the rowing correspondent of the Irish Times.

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