O’Donovan just misses out on a medal

Skibbereen’s Paul O’Donovan finished just outside the medals at yesterday’s World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam.

Following an extremely fast A final of the lightweight single sculls, O’Donovan recorded a personal best time but Italy’s Marcello Miani won the race with the world’s best time and second-placed Lars Hartig of Germany also finished inside the old record in the tailwind conditions.

“It was a good race and I gave it everything I could, I am pleased to think I am fourth in the world, but, on the other hand, disappointed not to have pulled through to get a medal. Another fourth is, of course, frustrating,” said O’Donovan. However, there was some consolation for the UCD student as he finished ahead of Australian Perry Ward, a silver medal winner at the World Cup in Sydney and the Portuguese sculler Pedro Fraga, a European champion.