Katie O’Brien has set the trend already. In winning the gold medal in the Para women’s single sculls at the World Rowing Championships on Friday morning, she’s set up a pending Irish medal rush in Recice, the Czech Republic over the weekend.
The Galway rower was on the water in one of the nine para-rowing boat classes in Recice, her victory utterly convincing too as she took control of the four-boat final from the start, winning by 10 seconds ahead of the Australian Kathryn Ross, who had been the fastest qualifier.
Making the most of the calm conditions, O’Brien was unwavering in her effort, finishing in 9:25.23, adding to the bronze medal she won at the last World Championships in Linz back in 2019.
The 26 year-old from Clarinbridge is out again on Saturday in another final, joining Steven McGowen in the Para mixed double (12.05 Irish time).
A little earlier, Zoe Hyde and Sanita Puspure booked their place in the A final of the women’s double sculls, finishing second to the Dutch crew and always looking safe of making the top three qualifying spots. Their final is on Sunday (12.54pm
The other three of the five A finals still involving Irish crews are set for Saturday, and chief among them once again is Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy.
They may not have it all their own way, still there’s little to suggest the Skibbereen pair won’t add another gold medal in the men’s lightweight double sculls (1.23pm), winning their semi-final earlier in the week with plenty room to space.
In the women’s lightweight doubles (1.07pm), Margaret Cremen and Aoife Casey also underlined their winning medal potential by taking second in their semi-final, dominated by the Great British crew.
Reunited again after their Olympic bronze medal win in Tokyo, the Irish women’s four also go into their final (1.39) looking well capable of battling for the medals. Emily Hegarty, Fiona Murtagh, Eimear Lambe and Aifric Keogh finished second to the Great British crew, a podium place at their beckoning too.
