Three-time Olympian Niall O'Toole believes Irish rower Sanita Puspure has a golden chance to make the podium ahead of her single sculls quarter-final on Tuesday.
Puspure cruised into the quarters after finishing second in her heat at Rio. The Cork-based rower completed the 2,000m in a time of 9 minutes 11.45 seconds, and O'Toole - who won World Championship gold in 1991 - expects her to be in the shake-up when the medlas are being dished out.
Three-time Olympian Niall O'Toole backs Irish rower Sanita Puspure to shine https://t.co/10Ms3fjCnz #rterio2016https://t.co/KaaBPej6zT
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 8, 2016
Speaking to RTÉ Sport, O'Toole made his case:
"With Sunita's quarter-final coming up, I think she has a really really brilliant chance. I think she's probably our best of hope of making the final and medalling.
"She has a pretty difficult quarter-final. I think it's probably the worst conditions the Olympics have ever been held in. It looks appalling.
"At the Olympics you want people to be racing at their max. They've trained physically very, very hard and after the racing (on Sunday) people couldn't really pull that hard because the conditions were so appalling.
"Ironically enough, I think it could favour the Irish guys because in Ireland we have a fair amount of wind and the guys naturally have to race in wind all the time. It could be a real opportunity.
"Sunita has a huge opportunity to qualify for the semi-finals. I think she will. She's in lane 5, so she can turn to her right and see the whole field.
"It's the top three (that qualify), and I really expect her to go through. She should finish second or third and go straight to the semis.
"The advantage of a small team is it becomes a real family. I know everyone is really gelling together. there's a real sense of unity in the team."
