Ireland's Katie O'Brien recorded an emphatic victory in the final of the PR2 single sculls at the World Rowing Championships in the Czech Republic.

O'Brien led from the off over the 2000m course at the Labe Arena in Racice and stopped the clock in nine minutes 25.23 seconds.

There was a yawning gap back to runner-up Kathryn Ross, with the Australian finishing just over 10 seconds behind the Galway para rower despite being fastest in qualifying.

Ukraine's Anna Aisanova rounded off the podium places.

Speaking to RTÉ Sport afterwards, O'Brien said that even with her dominant advantage from early, she never felt comfortable enough with the lead until she crossed the finish line.

"When you're on the water you’re always feeling like there’s impending doom all the time, it doesn’t feel like there is a vast amount of water between you.

"There was not a single stroke where I was like 'okay, you’re on safe ground.’ If you let it slip for a second Kat will be on your case.

"Every single stroke is as important as the next. That’s what I was focusing on, just keep putting the oar in and out of the water. By the end I didn’t even feel like I was rowing, I was literally dipping it and dipping it out and I got over the line anyway."

O'Brien said that the presence of Ross in the race was the main reason for her to go hard from the start.

"I had planned to go out hard and I planned to finish hard too, I just planned to go for it from start to finish.

"Kat from Australia is a world class athlete and she has been world champion umpteen times. To be racing her again, to be beside her let alone in front of her is unbelievable.

"It's a long race, you have 10 minutes to think about that, that is going through your head.

"To be able to finish the race and come away with the medal I’ve been thinking about for a long time is unbelievable."

Earlier in the day, Zoe Hyde and Sanita Puspure advanced to Sunday's final of the double sculls as the Irish pair chased home the Dutch crew.

Lydia Heaphy finished third in her lightweight single sculls B final, with Hugh Moore also third in his lightweight single sculls D final.

Saturday promises to be huge day for Irish rowing, with four boats contesting finals.

Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy remain on course to retain their lightweight double sculls world title, and Aoife Casey and Margaret Cremen contest the final of the women's event.

Katie O'Brien and Steven McGowan are in action in the mixed double sculls final, while Aifric Keogh, Eimear Lambe, Fiona Murtagh and Emily Hegarty line up in the final of the women's four.

Watch the World Rowing Championships finals live on RTÉ Player from Friday to Sunday and live on RTÉ One from midday Saturday