Paul and Gary O’Donovan will be representing Ireland in the men’s final of the Lightweight Double Sculls this afternoon.
The Cork pair finished third in their semi-final yesterday and are favoured to medal in today’s final.
LADS: #Rio2016 #IRL https://t.co/qOKnnB1Aq3
— BenchWarmers (@BeWarmers) August 11, 2016
Their father Teddy O’Donovan introduced them to rowing and he says that seeing his children compete in an Olympic final fills him with pride.
“I’ve put a post up on Facebook the other day and said that all my children became Olympians,” he said. “To have the two of them there is almost unimaginable.
“And to have the two of them competing in the one boat, exclusively in the one boat, is incredible really.”
Their hometown, the tiny parish of Lisheen in west Cork, has come alive in supportof their famous sons.
The rowers’ uncle, Michael Doab from Ballincollig, also spoke to the media yesterday, and said they have a plan for success.
“Between themselves and their coach they’ve come up with a plan,” he told RTÉ. “They’re not telling me about it, they’re not telling anyone about it.
“Their coach Dominic Casey is top of the range. Between the three of them they’ve a plan, they don’t tell us about it because if they did we wouldn’t know what they were talking about anyway.”
Great interview with O'Donovan's Uncle Michael on @RTERadio1 Couldn't stop laughing with joy. Well done to all!
— Stephen Doyle (@dubsoulrebel) August 11, 2016
The O’Donovan brothers are expected to enter the water at around 2.45 Irish time.
Ahead of them will be the pairing of Sinead Lynch and Claire Lambe, who will be in the women’s final at half past two.
Read next: WATCH: Tiny Cork parish pays beautiful tribute to Olympian brothers
