Banbridge rower Philip Doyle books spot in Olympics double sculls final after impressive Paris showing
Banbridge rower Philip Doyle has booked his spot in Thursday’s double sculls final at the Olympics after an impressive showing alongside partner Daire Lynch in Paris.
Doyle, who won bronze at the World Championships last year with Lynch and collected silver in Austria four years prior, is a former student at Banbridge Academy and Queen’s University, where he took up rowing and won the British University Championships as a novice in 2014.
He now has his sights set on much bigger prizes after the Team Ireland pair won their semi-final in a time of 6:13.14 to finish ahead of New Zealand, United States of America, Germany, defending Olympic champions France and Norway, progressing into Thursday’s showdown with genuine gold medal hopes.
No Northern Irish athlete has won an Olympic gold medal since 1988 when hockey stars Stephen Martin and Jimmy Kirkwood celebrated success in Seoul, while Dame Mary Peters won the pentathlon in 1972, but that could all be set to change in the coming days with Daniel Wiffen, Rhys McClenaghan and now Doyle hunting glory.
Speaking to the News Letter ahead of the competition, Doyle said: "Myself and Darragh have had five hit-outs on the international stage and four medals from those five, with one a fourth. My aim is to be in that A final with six boats going for three medals.
"If we can get to that race then it's anyone's race that day but I'd like to back us that if we did get there that would mean we're in a good mental and physical place to perform. A medal isn't off the table but we have to get to that race first."