IRELAND have won their first medal at the 2016 Olympic Games after rowers Paul O’Donovan and Gary O’Donovan took Silver in the Men’s Lightweight Double Sculls in Rio.
France, who took gold, and South Africa set the early pace as expected, but Ireland climbed to second by the 1,500m mark before sticking with the pace to come home just behind the French (6:30.70) on a time of 6:31.23.
Norway finished third for bronze, with the second place silver becoming Ireland's first ever medal in rowing at the Olympic Games.
Minutes earlier, Team Ireland duo Sinead Lynch and Claire Lambe missed out on a medal in the final of the Women’s Lightweight Double Sculls.
The Cork-based pair finished sixth on a time of 7:13.09 after getting off to a slow start in Lane Six, with much-fancied China, South Africa and the Netherlands living up to their billing from the off.
