Former Olympian Sonia O’Sullivan has joked that the phrase “pull like a dog” will end up in the dictionary.

The saying was famously used by Paul and Gary O’Donovan, to describe their race strategy, after they qualified for the final of the Lightweight double sculls in Rio 2016.

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Subsequent interviews with the Cork brothers also went viral worldwide, after they rowed their way to an Olympic silver medal.

Earlier today, Paul O’Donovan won gold in the World Rowing Championships in Rotterdam in the Under 23 Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls event.

Go forward to 19:23 for Paul’s race, 42:00 for the medal presentation.

The Skibbereen natives are due to arrive home to a rapturous welcome on Monday night.

Olympic long-distance runner Sonia O’Sullivan, who took part in the Great Pink Run in the Phoenix Park in Dublin this morning, said the O’Donovan’s are an inspiration to Irish sportspeople.

“We were just talking about it there, and it’s quite funny – when I was running around the commentator was making a reference – if I wanted to get to the front I’d have to pull like a dog,” she laughed.

“I think that’s kinda going into the dictionary now, that phrase.

“They were absolutely brilliant, I think it gave a lift to the Olympics for all of Ireland, especially in a sport that a lot of people wouldn’t be familiar with,

“So I think it’s absolutely fantastic to have a new sport picking up an Olympic medal for Ireland.”