This time the characteristic sprint finish was not enough. Paul O'Donovan just missed out on matching his bronze medal from last year at the World Under-23 Rowing Championships in Varese in Italy yesterday, finishing fourth in the final of the lightweight single sculls.

Italy’s Francesco Pegoraro in lane six sprung a surprise to hold on to third against the late challenge from O’Donovan. Defending champion Andrew Campbell Jr of the United States was simply of a different class in taking gold and Enes Kusku of Turkey took a deserved silver.

“I threw everything into. I just wasn’t fast enough, so I can’t complain,” O’Donovan said. He had come from third to finish a close-up second to Kusku in his semi-final on Saturday. At 20, the UCD man has two more years left at this level; Campbell, at 22, was exiting the grade.

The lightweight double scull of Shane O’Driscoll and Gary O’Donovan (Paul’s elder brother) finished 10th. In a hotly-contested B final, the Ireland crew stayed in touch as Ukraine and Greece fought out a battle at the head of the field. New Zealand edged Ireland into fourth coming up to the line. The Ireland men’s four had finished sixth in their B final, 12th overall.

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