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Sport

28th May 2017

“We beat the Brits, what did I tell ye?” Ireland’s gold medallists give a colourful post-race interview

Tony Cuddihy

Shane O’Driscoll and Mark O’Donovan prove that Skibbereen is the rowing capital of the world.

The West Cork lightweight pair claimed a gold medal in the European Rowing Championships and were in triumphant mood in their interview with RTÉ Sport afterwards.

Their clubmate Denise Walsh produced a brilliantly timed row to take silver in the lightweight women’s single sculls shortly afterwards to make it a memorable morning for the Irish.

“Dominic Casey wanted to make us hungry so he kept us away from the sport for a day or two. He only made us train once a week to make us hungry and by God we’d a hunger,” O’Driscoll said.

“In the warm-up we had a practice start and Mark wasn’t too happy with my aggression and he said, ‘By God, you bbetter up that aggression off the start’ and I made sure all I was concentrating on was the first six strokes off the start and get out nice and hard with that aggression. I think that set us up nicely.”

The post-race interview was reminiscent of Skibbereen’s Paul and Gary O’Donovan at last year’s Olympic Games – the West Cork duo compete later this morning in the lightweight men’s double sculls.

Topics:

Rowing