Paul O’Donovan has won World Championship gold just over two weeks after winning Olympic silver alongside brother Gary ©Getty Images

Ireland’s Paul O’Donovan has won men’s lightweight single sculls gold at the World Rowing Championships in Rotterdam just over two weeks after he helped secure his country’s first-ever Olympic medal in the sport at Rio 2016. 

O’Donovan, who claimed lightweight double sculls silver alongside brother Gary in Rio, clocked a time 7 min 32.84sec, to finish 4.11 seconds clear of Hungary’s Péter Galambos.

Slovakia’s Lukas Babac completed the podium in the Dutch city, registering a time of 7:38.89. 

"The first stroke was bad, but then the second one was good so I went from there," said O’Donovan.

"At the 500m left I remembered I told my friends when I was in Rio that I would win here by open water, so I thought I should probably keep my promise. 

"Then at 200m to go I guess I started smiling a little."

Great Britain topped the rowing medal table at Rio 2016 with three golds and two silvers and their impressive form continued at the Rotterdam event, which is being contested only by non-Olympic and Paralympic classes. 

The quartet of Brianna Stubbs, Emily Craig, Imogen Walsh and Eleanor Piggott combined to win the women’s quadruple sculls in a time of 7:10.60.

Germany finished second in 7:12.45, while China were third in 7:21:04.

New Zealand's Zoe McBride won the women's lightweight single sculls ©Getty Images
New Zealand's Zoe McBride won the women's lightweight single sculls ©Getty Images

There was also success for Britain in the men’s coxed pair and women’s four.

Oliver Cook, Callum McBrierty and cox Henry Fieldman won the former in 7:29.69, while Fiona Gammond, Donna Etiebet, Holly Nixon and Holly Norton triumphed in the latter in 7:16:28.

Canada and Italy took silver and bronze respectively in the men’s coxed pair in 7:32:05 and 7:32:22, while the United States were runners-up in the women’s four in 7:21:53 as Germany completed the top three in 7:26:15. 

Among the other winners today was the German foursome of Patrik Stöcker, Florian Roller, Johannes Ursprung and Cedric Kulbach, clocking a time of 6:23:09 to win the men’s lightweight quadruple sculls ahead of France and Greece.

France went one better in the men’s pair with Augustin Mouterde and Alexis Guerinot posting a winning time of 7:14.18 to keep Denmark and Britain at bay.

They also claimed gold in the Para mixed doubles sculls thanks to Guylaine Marchand and Fabien Saint-Lannes’s time of 8:38.53, which was too quick for nearest challengers Austria and Russia. 

Also triumphant today was New Zealand’s Zoe McBride, the winner of the women’s lightweight single sculls in 8:28:45.

Sweden’s Emma Fredh had to settle for second spot, while Canada’s Katherine Sauks came third. 

The World Rowing Junior Championships are due to take place tomorrow.