Paul O’Donovan, known for his comedic approach, had a jest about how he and his rowing partner were not considered favourites this time around, despite being the reigning World and Olympic champions. He highlighted their third-seed ranking behind Italy and Switzerland at the regatta, joking about his limited counting skills.
The Irish rowing team, the largest Ireland has ever sent to the Olympics, showed great potential over the weekend at the regatta. By Sunday lunchtime, seven boats had hit the water, with five making it to the semi-finals.
Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy cruised to victory in their heats. The performance that stole the show, however, was produced by Philip Doyle and Daire Lynch in the men’s double sculls, a commanding display that placed their medal prospects on firm footing.
Ross Corrigan and Nathan Timoney made a memorable Olympic debut in the men’s pair, edging out World Champions Switzerland in their heat with a nerve-racking finale that saw four boats cross the finish line within .43 seconds of each other.
A few teams remarked on the intense training they underwent at camps in Italy and Spain in the preceding weeks. At least three teams anticipate a marked improvement in their subsequent races. Despite all this, the atmosphere in the camp remains positive.
The athletes are staying in a hotel near the venue to avoid the chaotic Paris traffic from the athletes’ village. They chose not to attend the opening ceremony on Friday, opting instead for a private procession on the hotel grounds, all dressed in their Team Ireland outfits. Interestingly, O’Donovan was absent from this improvised parade, as he had been training, according to McCarthy.
During the initial weekend of competition, Irish Olympians witnessed a wide range of experiences. Rhys McClenaghan, in a dazzling display on the pommel horse on Saturday night, topped the qualifiers and made history as the first Irish gymnast to secure spots in two Olympic finals.
McClenaghan’s unsettling journey in the Tokyo final three years ago mirrored his Saturday night performance, with moments of caution and audacity in equal measure. He noted that while there was room for improvement, his performance was noteworthy. He plans on enhancing his routine with the aim of reaching an unattainable perfect score. The pressure, quite similar to what he faces during daily training, felt oddly familiar.
In contrast, the Irish boxing team has had a rocky start at the Olympic Games. Prior to Jack Marley’s recent falter in his heavyweight contest, which left him just one victory short of a medal, three Irish boxers were already knocked out. This includes Aidan Walsh, the Tokyo bronze medalist, who lost 4-0 to Makan Traore from France on Sunday, even though he had a strong start in the first round.
Expressing his surprise at the scores, Walsh remained content with his performance. Though he admitted to receiving a warning for holding on too long – a habit he confessed he’s carried throughout his career. However, he was uncertain why he did not receive his usual leeway of three or four warnings.
In addition, both Dean Clancy and Grainne Walsh faced defeat as they made their first appearances at the Olympic Games.
At France’s Stade de France, Ireland’s women’s sevens squad started their series with a defeat, falling 21-12 to the United Kingdom, before bouncing back with a spectacular 38-0 victory over South Africa later in the day. They had beaten Great Britain in four previous matches. In this encounter, despite Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe’s two initial tries securing a slight lead of 12-7 at the half-time interval, Ireland were unable to score in the second part.
However, a resolute Irish team rallied impressively, overcoming South Africa through six tries including two by Béibhinn Parsons and an additional one from Murphy Crowe.
At the same time, on the aquatics front, Robert Dickson and Séan Waddilove made an impressive start to the Skiff series, securing second place following the initial three races.
The weekend concluded spectacularly with a marvellous swim by Mona McSharry. The swimmer from Sligo swam a time only bettered once before in her career in the preliminary rounds of the 100m breaststroke, setting a new Irish record in the semi-final and earning a spot in the finals as the second quickest entrant.
McSharry, after finishing eighth in Tokyo, looks set to possibly clinify a medal in the upcoming final. So far, the event has been eventful, and it’s only just beginning.