Irish rowing crews confirmed for Paris Games

Sixteen athletes across seven boats will represent Ireland in rowing at the Paris Olympic Games, with Fintan McCarthy and Paul O'Donovan included in the squad as they look to win back-to-back gold medals in the men's lightweight double skulls.

Aifric Keogh and Fiona Murtagh, who won bronze as part of the women's coxless four in Tokyo, will make up the women's pair team, while Eimear Lambe and Emily Hegarty will be joined by Natalie Long, Imogen Magner and Holly Davis (reserve) as they look for another medal in the women's four.

The qualification process for rowing at the Olympics involved crews winning quota spots for the nation at the World Championships last year, for the pairs and the doubles, and at the final Olympic qualification regatta in Lucerne this year for the fours.

Speaking on the official selection, Fintan McCarthy said: "It's been a great Olympic cycle for the whole team, and we are excited to just get out there in Paris and perform to our best.

"These opportunities don’t come around too often, so I’m looking forward to putting in the final touches over the coming weeks and enjoying it. In Paris, the atmosphere will be something else and a very different experience to Tokyo, and that’s something we are also excited about."

Olympic Federation of Ireland Chef de Mission for Paris 2024 Gavin Noble added: "In Ireland, we have such a strong tradition in rowing, and in Olympic rowing.

"In our centenary year, we should be entering a team of this calibre. The qualification of seven boats demonstrates the success of the high-performance rowing programme at the National Rowing Centre in Cork.

"We are looking forward to supporting the entire team, and their ambition, as they approach the Olympic regatta in Paris next