'It's nice to book the ticket' - Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy qualify for Paris Olympics

2023 World Rowing Championships, Belgrade, Serbia 6/9/2023

World and Olympic champions Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy will defend their crowns after today qualifying for another world final in Belgrade and in the process securing their place in next year's Olympic Games in Paris.

The Skibbereen duo had a straightforward win in their semi-final of the lightweight men's double sculls,  with Norway and Czechia also qualifying behind them. 

O'Donovan said: “It’s nice for sure, to book the ticket now at this stage makes next year a bit easier and we can just focus on peaking at the right time.

"Luckily for some of the guys that didn’t qualify today they’ve another chance as well, that’ll make the B-finals more exciting."

In a superb morning for Irish rowing, earlier Ross Corrigan and Nathan Timoney also qualified the Men’s Pair for Paris 2024, finishing second in their semi-final to reach Saturday's A Final.

While Fiona Murtagh and Aifric Keogh have qualified the Women’s Pair after also finishing second in their semi-final.

There was a fourth place finish for Margaret Cremen and Aoife Casey in their semi-final of the women’s lightweight double, missing out on the crucial top three placing by just 0.35 seconds. They will have another chance to secure Olympic qualification by wining the B final on Saturday.