Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy serve notice of gold medal intentions

This was a first Olympic race for McCarthy but the younger man has already claimed a European title alongside O’Donovan – and a European bronze as a single sculler – and he was every bit as relaxed as his partner after this most reassuring of efforts.

The Skibbereen pair cruised home over four seconds ahead of the Czech boat in second place.

Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy lived up to their considerable billing by romping to a win in their men’s lightweight double sculls heat at the Sea Forest Waterway here in Tokyo on Saturday morning.

The Skibbereen pair cruised home over four seconds ahead of the Czech boat in second place. The script went along similar lines in the other heats with the fancied crews from Italy, Germany, Belgium and Norway all claiming their own spots in Tuesday’s semi-final.