Paul O’Donovan
Rowing
BIOGRAPHY
Paul O’Donovan is the only Irish athlete to secure a medal at three separate Olympic Games. He is a double Olympic Champion (alongside Fintan McCarthy) and seven time World champion.
Paul won the first two of his world titles as lightweight single sculler in 2016 and 2017. A year later, he and older brother Gary won World Championship gold in the lightweight double, with Paul going on to win three more titles (2019, 2022, 2023) alongside current rowing partner Fintan McCarthy.
He won Ireland’s first ever Olympic rowing medal (silver) with brother Gary in Rio 2016. At the Toyko 2020 Olympic Games he won gold with Fintan McCarthy, a feat they repeated at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Paul is both a qualified physiotherapist and medical doctor and graduated from University College Cork with first class honours. He has been voted Ireland’s Greatest Ever Olympian and won the RTE Sportsperson of the Year Award following the Paris Olympic Games.
OTHER ROWING ATHLETES
ROWING NEWS
RTE Sportsperson of the Year | Paul O’Donovan
"Phenomenal" Paul O'Donovan was hailed "an all-time great" as he was crowned RTÉ Sport Sportsperson of the Year for 2024 on Sunday evening. The Cork rower became the first Irish Olympian to win medals at three consecutive Olympic Games in August as he claimed gold at the double sculls in Paris in a year where [...]
Nominations For RTE Sportsperson of the Year
Next Sunday evening, December 15th at 9:30 pm, the RTÉ Sport Awards 2024 will air live on RTÉ One and the RTÉ Player. Hosted by Joanne Cantwell, Darragh Maloney, and Jacqui Hurley from Studio 4 in RTÉ, the event will celebrate Irish sporting excellence in front of an audience filled with the nation’s top athletes. [...]
BACK-TO-BACK OLYMPIC GOLD FOR FINTAN MCCARTHY AND PAUL O’DONOVAN
Team Ireland rowers Fintan McCarthy and Paul O’Donovan (LM2x) have sensationally won back-to -back Olympic gold medals. The Skibbereen superstars rowed the perfect race to become double Olympic champions in front a massive Irish crowd in Paris. In doing the remarkable duo have won Team Ireland’s fifth medal at these Paris Olympic Games, after team [...]
Medal For Philip Doyle and Daire Lynch at Paris 2024
Team Ireland rowers Philip Doyle and Daire Lynch have won a brilliant Olympic bronze medal in the final of the Men’s Double Sculls (M2x) at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. In doing the Irish duo have won Team Ireland’s fourth medal at these Olympic Games, after Mona McSharry claimed bronze, Daniel Wiffen gold, and [...]
DAY 3 MORNING REPORT FROM TEAM IRELAND | PARIS 2024
Reigning world champion Daniel Wiffen eased his way into tomorrow night’s 800m Freestyle final qualifying fastest of all eight swimmers in a time of 7:41.53. Team mate Ellen Walshe booked her spot in her first Olympic final tonight; her favoured event the women’s 400m Individual Medley by finishing fourth in her heat. Second time Olympian Danielle Hill [...]
TEAM IRELAND TO FEATURE IN TEN SPORTS ON OPENING DAY OF PARIS 2024
Day one of Paris 2024 is set to be a bumper one for Team Ireland as athletes from no less than ten sports will get their Olympic campaigns underway; Eventing (Dressage), Hockey, Swimming, Rowing, Canoe Slalom, Road Cycling, Boxing, Badminton, Gymnastics, and the Men’s Rugby Sevens team return to the pitch. Equestrian The Irish [...]