Paul O’Donovan matched the feat of compatriot Holly Nixon when he won his heat of the single scull at the World Rowing Junior Championships at Dorney Lake in England this morning. The Skibbereen man took over the lead coming up to the 1750 metre mark and won from Latvia, Belarus and Tunisia. All four will compete in tomorrow’s quarter-finals.

World Rowing Junior Championships, Dorney Lake, Britain (Irish interest)

Men

Junior Single Scull - Heat Three (First Four Directly to Quarter-Finals): 1 Ireland (P O’Donovan) 7:55.25, 2 Latvia 7:59.08, 3 Belarus 7:59.81, 4 Tunisia 8:03.74; 5 Georgia 8:41.14.

Women

Junior Single Scull – Heat Two (First Two Directly to A/B Semi-Finals; rest to Repechage): 1 Ireland (H Nixon) 8:45.23, 2 Switzerland (J Jeannet) 8:55.51; 3 Belgium 9:04.72, 4 Slovenia 9:04.80, 5 Venezeula 10:06.41.