Sport

Tokyo Games Day 6: Irish in action and best of the rest

Thursday sees Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy go for gold in men’s rowing

Ireland’s Fintan McCarthy and Paul O’Donovan won their lightweight double sculls semi-final on Wednesday. Photo: Morgan Treacy/Inpho

Ruaidhrí Croke's face
Ruaidhrí Croke
Wed Jul 28 2021 - 13:50

After Aifric Keogh, Eimear Lambe, Fiona Murtagh and Emily Hegarty won Ireland’s first medal of the Games in the women’s four on Wednesday, Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy will be looking to go even better on Thursday.

At 1.50am they go in the final of the men’s lightweight double sculls with a real chance of winning gold after easing to victory in their semi-final.

Later in the morning Sanita Puspure will hope to continue her quest for an Olympic medal when she goes in the women’s single sculls semi-finals at 2.30am.

Irish rowers are also in two B finals on Thursday with Aileen Crowley and Monika Dukarska up first in the women’s pair at 12.40am before Aoife Casey and Margaret Cremen race in the lightweight women’s double sculls at 1am.

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Elsewhere, Ben Fletcher begins his judo campaign in the elimination rounds after 3am, looking to improve on his sister Megan’s performance after she went out in the round of 32 on Wednesday. Should Fletcher reach the latter stages, they will also take place on Thursday beginning at 9am.

Derek Burnett continues in the men’s trap shooting at 1.50am needing a big second day if he is to make the final. He currently lies 25th with the top six advancing to the final.

At 4.15am, Annalise Murphy is back in the water for the women’s laser radial Race 7 which will be followed by Race 8. In 20th place overall after the first six races she needs top-10 finishes at a minimum over the next three if she is to reach the medal race.

Just before that, at 4.05am, Robert Dickson and Seán Waddilove go in Race 5 and 6 of the men’s 49er event. After winning the first race on Tuesday they dropped down to 11th overall after Wednesday’s three races and that’s where they’ll start Race 5.

In the golf, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry get underway. With Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau ruled out last week the Irish pair will very much fancy their medal chances. At 2.25am, McIlroy tees off alongside Collin Morikawa and Sungjae Im while Shane Lowry joins Tommy Fleetwood and Patrick Reed in the group directly afterwards at 2.36am.

Later on in the morning Shane Ryan takes to the pool for his 100m butterfly heat at 11.50am.

What else is on?

With Simone Biles out of the women’s all-around gymnastics final it throws the door right open after the American’s recent dominance. That begins at 11.50am.

There are five more medals up for grabs in the pool including the men’s 100m freestyle final (3.37am) where the big US hope is Caeleb Dressel.

Medal events: 17
Artistic gymnastics (women's all-around), canoe slalom (women's C1), fencing (women's team foil), judo (women's -78kg, men's -100kg), rowing (men's pair, women's pair, men's lightweight double sculls, women's lightweight double sculls), shooting (women's trap, men's trap), swimming (men's 800m free, men's 200m breast, women's 200m fly, men's 100m free, women's 4x200m free relay), table tennis (women's singles).

Full Irish schedule for Thursday, July 29th

12.40am Aileen Crowley and Monika Dukarska - Women’s Pair Rowing B Final

1am Aoife Casey and Margaret Cremen - Lightweight Women’s Doubles Sculls Rowing B Final

1.50am Derek Burnett - Men’s Trap Shooting Qualification

1.50am Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy - Lightweight Men’s Doubles Sculls Rowing Final

2.25am Rory McIlroy - Men’s Individual Strokeplay Golf Round 1

2.30am Sanita Puspure - Women’s Singles Sculls Rowing Semi-Finals

2.36am Shane Lowry - Men’s Individual Strokeplay Golf Round 1

3am Ben Fletcher - Men’s 100kg Judo Eliminations

4.05am Robert Dickson and Seán Waddilove - Men's 49er Sailing Races 5 and 6

4.15am Annalise Murphy - Women’s Laser Radial Sailing Fleet Races 7 and 8

7.30am Derek Burnett - Men’s Trap Shooting Final*

9am Ben Fletcher - Men’s 100kg Judo Repechage and Final

11.50am Shane Ryan - Men’s 100m Butterfly Swimming Heat

Tokyo 2020