O'Donovan and McCrohan advance to World Rowing Championships finals

Paul O'Donovan and Siobhán McCrohan have both booked their place in finals at the 2024 World Rowing Championships in Canada.

O'Donovan and McCrohan are competing in the men and women's lightweight single sculls at the event for non-Olympic classes in St Catharines on Lake Ontario.

Cork man O'Donovan became Ireland's first three-time Olympic medallist in Paris three weeks ago when he retained lightweight double sculls gold with Fintan McCarthy, but he was back in action on his own today and followed up a dominant performance in last Sunday's heats by winning his semi-final in a time of 6:47.74.

O'Donovan, the 2016 and '17 world singles champion, had a 2.6-second lead over Austria's Julian Schoeberl by the 1500m mark and came home 6.34 seconds clear to qualify fastest for tomorrow's final (8pm Irish time).

Galway native McCrohan is the defending women's champion after claiming gold in Belgrade last September.

She had also won her heat with ease and finished second in her semi-final today to advance to Saturday's decider.

Romania's double sculls silver medallist Ionela Livia Cozmiuc set the pace and was almost six seconds ahead of McCrohan by the three-quarter (1500m) mark.

She finished 8.48 seconds before McCrohan (7:34.04), who was a comfortable second ahead of France's Auerelie Morizot.

McCrohan was fifth fastest of the six qualifiers for tomorrow's final (7.43pm) overall and will go from lane 2.