LIGHTWEIGHT MEN'S DOUBLES
LM2x
Words: Rachel Quarrell / Photography: Steve McArthur
Despite the fears that many viewers had about COVID affecting results, there were plenty of favourites winning races and medals in Tokyo. One of the most famous favourites lining up for the finals was Paul O’Donovan. The stroke of the Irish LM2x broke social media blarneying to the press after his unexpected Olympic silver medal with brother Gary back in 2016, followed by world gold in 2018. But by 2019 reselection had swept aside the sibling partnership and forced Gary into the non-Olympic lightweight categories, Paul had teamed up with Fintan McCarthy (a more sober-sided sculling machine) and the new duo had demonstrated that they could beat all-comers any day of the week. Up against them Italy's perennial medallists Stefano Oppo and Pietro Ruta, never off the podium but only able to claim 2020 European gold when half the field was missing, and speed-kings Jason Osborne and Jonathan Rommelmann from Germany. The medals likely to go to these three, but in what order? Early honours shared evenly by the Germans and Irish, who had both beaten Italy, and taken quickest time once each, though the Irish oarsmen had broken the world best time the day before in their semi.