O'Brien and McGowan secure qualification for Paris 2024

QUALIFICATION SECURED: Katie O'Brien and Steven McGowan won their PR2 mixed double heat and secured qualification for the Paris 2024 Paralympics. Pic: Rowing Ireland

Ireland's first boat has secured its spot for Paris 2024 after a stellar performance from Katie O'Brien and Steven McGowan in the PR2 mixed double.

It has been 11 years since Ireland had a crew compete in the Paralympics, the PR3 mixed coaxed four in London 2012 the last to compete. However, Galway RC rowers O'Brien and McGowan have ensured Ireland will be represented next year. O'Brien was unable to find a doubles partner for the Tokyo Olympics but has finally made her dreams a reality at this World Championships. McGowan only picked up the sport two years ago and has made incredible progress to be competing at the level he is now. 

TICKET TO PARIS 🇫🇷

Katie O’Brien and Steven McGowan have booked the PR2 Mixed double into the Paris 2024 Paralympics 🔥🔥#Paris2024 #wearerowingireland pic.twitter.com/uBxWYzAQJU

— Rowing Ireland (@RowingIreland) September 5, 2023

The duo had a strong start to their heat right in the mix with World Cup III bronze medalists Michal Gadowski and Jolanta Majka of Poland. 2022 World Champions Ukraine could not maintain the quick pace they set and struggled to move into the top grouping. With only one crew progressing straight into the A final and pick up the qualification spot for the 2024 Paralympics, O'Brien and McGowan had to make a move to put themselves into the leading position. Through the third 500m they were the fastest boat and pushed their bow ahead of Poland. Winding up against coming into the finish there was no catching the duo and the ticket to Paris was theirs.

Another Galway pairing of Fiona Murtagh and Aifric Keogh were up next in their women's pair repechage. They got off to a flying start and were leading the field by over two seconds after the first 500m. Italy's Aisha Rocek and Alice Codato made a push to try and catch the Irish pair coming into the halfway mark to no avail. Murtagh and Keogh finished in first place and are into the A/B semis on Thursday morning. They are now in the top 12 crews with 11 getting qualification sports for Paris 2024.

INTO C FINAL: Ireland’s John Kearney, Jack Dorney, Adam Murphy and Fionnan McQuillan-Tolan on their way to finishing fourth and qualifying for the C final. Pic: ©INPHO/Detlev Seyb

The men's four of John Kearney, Jack Dorney, Adam Murphy and Fionnàn McQuillan-Tolan missed out on the A/B semis and take their place in the C final after finishing fifth in their repechage. They got off to a promising start sitting in second through the halfway point. All crews remained in contention and coming into the last quarter the Irish quartet moved back to fifth but were still less than four seconds behind first place. There was not enough left to push for a top three spot and a place in the A/B semi but will race in the C final on Saturday.

The men's quad of Brian Colsh, Andrew Sheehan, Ronan Byrne and Konan Pazzaia were unlucky to miss out on the A/B semis finishing in fourth place in their repechage. As the race progressed the Irish crew made their way closer to the top three and were the fastest boat in the final 500m but it was not enough to edge them ahead of the American crew. 

Day 3 Results

PR2 Mixed Double Heat 1st - A Final and Paralympic Qualification 

Women's Pair Repechage 1st - A/B Semi 

Men's Four Repechage 5th - C Final 

Men's Quad Repechage 4th - C Final 

Wednesday Schedule (IST) 

11:43am - Lightweight Men's Scull Quarterfinal 

11:50am - Lightweight Men's Double Quarterfinal 

12:18pm - Men's Pair Quarterfinal 

12:53pm - Men's Double Quarterfinal