Ireland's newest Olympic champions say they spent last night packing their suitcases, rather than celebrating.
However, they say the gold medal victory is "dream come true stuff".
Team Ireland won its first Olympic Gold for rowing yesterday, after Skibbereen's Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy crossed the finish line first in the men's lightweight double sculls in Tokyo.
Paul O'Donovan told Newstalk Breakfast "we're fine altogether" after their win, and says their favourite status "didn't put any pressure" on them during the race.
He said: “I don’t understand why people think if you’re good it makes it harder to win. Because you’re the favourite, you should be confident like… then the pressure is on your opponents.
“We were pretty pleased without start, and that’s usually the worst of our race. We’ve done so many races over the year… we would be good at judging our own efforts and how much energy we have left.
“We were sitting there level with the Germans, and I think we would have known ourselves if we need to we have a bit more in reserve to put in a big dig at the finish.
“We know the German style - they like to lead from the front. This past year they’ve been making a big burst in the third 500 metres. When they weren’t really putting massive distance into us at this stage, we kinda knew they wouldn’t have too much left to give at the end."
He said he's already looking towards the next rowing events on the calendar over the coming months - with a "bit more rowing to do" before the summer's out.
Fintan, meanwhile, says the Olympic experience has been "amazing".
He said: "When you're younger you'd be kind of daydreaming about it, so to be here is just unreal. Obviously winning the medal was the cherry on top... dream come true stuff".
Fintan's mother says the family is hoping to put on the best homecoming they can for the two Olympians when they return to Cork.
Fintan said: “Definitely in our house there’ll be a few celebratory dinners, drinks and all that stuff. I’d say they’re buzzing."
Team Ireland's medal haul increased overnight, after boxer Aidan Walsh secured at least a bronze as he moves into the semi-finals this weekend.
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