ROWING: Two years ago, Sam Lynch announced his arrival as a major player on the world stage when he won silver behind Michal Vabrousek of the Czech Republic in the World Championships in Zagreb.
Yesterday, in Seville, the Irishman confirmed that he now commands that stage - he bossed a tough semi-final to take his place in tomorrow's lightweight single scull A final in this year's World Championships, while Vabrousek could only manage fourth and must settle for a B final place.
Unusually for an Irish sportsman, Lynch knows the value of always finishing first, its inhibiting power on his rivals and the way it clears the way in this sport.
Vabrousek and Stefano Basalini of Italy had not won their heats on Sunday and found that the draw threw them into the less-favoured lanes two and five in a semi-final which featured, not only Lynch, but also ambitious American Steve Tucker, the fastest heat winner, in lane three.
These four had filled the top four places in last year's final in Lucerne, with Tucker the one to miss out on a medal, pipped by Vabrousek for bronze.
The American had no intention of allowing a repeat this time. Lynch established a lead and held it, but Vabrousek, third at 500 metres, then got stuck in fourth - and Tucker pushed out the experienced Basalini for second.
Tucker, along with Ingo Euler of Germany, who won the second semi-final in a time which would not even have taken fifth place in Lynch's race, should be the key dangers to the Limerick man in tomorrow's final.
The experienced Basilini, who reportedly has struggled with injury problems this year, could be the dark horse.
Sinead Jennings, who also announced her arrival in Zagreb two years ago when she won bronze, will play no further part in Seville.
The women's lightweight double scull of Jennings and Heather Boyle was to take part in C/D semi-finals scheduled for today, but team manager Mick O'Callaghan said yesterday: "We've withdrawn them because of injury", citing Jennings's hurt knee as the reason.
This leaves three Irish crews in action today. The men's lightweight double of Neal Byrne and Eugene Coakley seek to land a place in the C final in their semi at 9.24 a.m. (Irish-time), before two crews seek to join Lynch as Irish representatives in A finals.
Defending champions Tony O'Connor and Gearoid Towey should secure the necessary place in the top three in their lightweight pairs race at 10.24 a.m., with Britain, represented by Nick English and Ned Kittoe, the Netherlands and Canada their key rivals.
The young Ireland lightweight four also seek a place in the top three in a race (11.51 a.m.) where Canada and Australia should progress and Germany, the United States and Yugoslavia provide the other opposition.
It would be an outstanding achievement if the Irish, whose average age is 24, make it through in this company.
Moving the focus away from the Irish, tomorrow will provide two eagerly-awaited finals.
At the World Cup at Lucerne this year, Britain's golden boys, Matthew Pinsent and James Cracknell, were beaten not once but twice by Australia's Drew Ginn and James Tomkins, losing out in both the heats and the final.
Both crews won their semi-finals yesterday, and both know the final will be a shoot-out.
The men's single scull semi-finals yesterday also yielded two winners who will not give way easily in tomorrow's final.
Olaf Tufte of Norway will be determined to resist the challenge of Germany's Marcel Hacker, the man in form this season.
Men's Lightweight Single Scull (First three to A final) - Semi-final One: 1 Ireland (S Lynch) 7:04.11, 2 US (S Tucker) 7:06.03, 3 Italy (S Basalini) 7:08.88, 4 Czech Rep (M Vabrousek) 7:12.51, 5 Slovakia (L Podstupka) 7:13.34, Guatemala (E Nanne) 7:30.42. Semi-final Two: 1 Germany (I Euler) 7:15.15, 2 Australia (A Edwards) 7:16.19, 3 Japan (H Hase) 7:18.76, 4 S Africa (R Hawkins) 7:21.08, 5 Mexico (R Bouzas Rodriguez) 7:21.90, 6 Spain (MA Millares Mera) 7:23.68.
