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.
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