Irish Olympic hero and Skibbereen icon Paul O'Donovan will have a chance to defend the world title he claimed last year when he competes in the final of the World rowing championships in Florida after breezing through the semis on Thursday afternoon.
Competing in the first semi-final, O'Donovan dominated the competition to set an impressive time of 6.55.30, an extremely comfortable four seconds ahead of the Swiss sculler in second place and the Brazilian who finished third.
Having won gold in Rotterdam last year Paul will now have the chance to make it back-to-back world titles, but you wouldn't know it from his post-race interview which he conducted in an ice bath.
Speaking to Evanne Ní Chuilinn of RTÉ after his semi-final win, Paul O'Donovan outlined the difference an ice bath makes to his recovery.
Playing it cool - Paul O'Donovan speaks to @EvanneNiC live from an ice bath in Florida after comfortably winning his world semi-final pic.twitter.com/mCMfx6CoOI
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) September 28, 2017
I think we're doing well, you know? And we've the 'Ice Fest', drinking ice-slushies and stuff, so yeah, very tayshty.
Some man, we've missed him during his preparations for these championships so it's fantastic to see him continuing to do well.
