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World of Sport

28th May 2017

“We did it. We beat the Brits. What did I tell ye?!” – Stunning European gold for Irish rowers

Move over Gary and Paul O'Donovan!

Patrick McCarry

Ireland is quare daycent at the rowing now.

Well, Skibbereen is representing. The rest of Ireland is just damn well proud.

Mark O’Donovan and Shane O’Driscoll captured gold at at the European Rowing Championships in Racice, Czech Republic this morning and they were in flying form afterwards.

RTE reporter David Gillick caught up with the pair moments after they stepped onto dry land, having

“We did it. We beat the Brits. What did I tell ye?!,” O’Donovan told RTE Sport after their triumph before paying tribute to lightweight pairs partner O’Driscoll for ‘carrying me down the track’.

O’Donovan and O’Driscoll beat Russia and Italy into second and third respectively, with the British pairing even further afield. The pair had another moment of TV gold before the interview wrapped up:

O’Donovan: “Jesus Christ, we were very comfortable so I kept saying to Shane to keep nice and relaxed and pound on the legs. He’s got fine chunky legs and he can use them.”

O’Driscoll: “The drop of whiskey they gave us before the race, I threw it up just now.”

O’Donovan: “Well, he was throwing up beforehand as well.”

You can watch the full, glorious interview here.

Fair play to the boys and Denise Walsh, who claimed silver in the lightweight women’s single sculls.