Bronze for O'Donovan and McCarthy at rowing World Cup

Fiona Murtagh and Aifric Keogh also claimed bronze in the women's pair. 

Ireland’s Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy celebrate winning a bronze medal in the lightweight men's double sculls at World Cup II in Lucerne. Picture: ©INPHO/Detlev Seyb

Ireland claimed four medals at the second rowing World Cup of the year, two of them in Olympic events. With the Games just two months away, and the crews for six of the seven qualified Irish boats yet to be named, the competition in Lucerne was of real consequence. 

Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy, who aim to defend their lightweight men's double sculls title in Paris, claimed bronze in the event. It was a race was won by Italian duo Gabriel Soares and Stefano Oppo with Jan Schaeuble and Raphael Ahumada taking silver. The Italians started fast, moving into a two-second lead by 500m, and would not be caught. They won by 1.05 seconds from the Swiss with the Cork rowers, who had been in second for the first 1000m, just 0.18 behind in third.