PAUL O’DONOVAN SHOWED his intent at the World Rowing Championships in Canada with a comfortable qualification for the A/B semi-final of the Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls.

Fresh from his Olympic heroics alongside Fintan McCarthy in Paris, O’Donovan’s hunt for a seventh world title began with a first-place finish in a time of 6:41.98 in the fourth heat at St Catharine’s.

It was slower than Italian Niels Torre who earlier set a new world best time in 6:39.65 as the pair prepare to face off later this week.

O’Donovan has already won two world single scull titles, in 2016 and 2017, and is aiming to deliver a famous hat-trick to cap another memorable year.

He finished seven seconds clear of Mexico’s Alexis Lopez Garcia, while Norway’s Oskar Soedal was further back in third.

Written by David Sneyd and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.