Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy were cheered back into the Olympic village by their fellow Team Ireland members after winning gold in Tokyo.
The Skibbereen pair landed Ireland’s first ever Olympic gold in rowing in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Their victory came a day after Ireland won their first medal of the Olympics when Aifric Keogh, Eimear Lambe, Fiona Murtagh and Emily Hegarty took bronze in the final of women’s rowing fours.
The pair won the lightweight double sculls men’s final to earn their country’s first gold medal since Katie Taylor’s boxing victory in 2012.
They also became the first male Irish gold medallists since boxer Michael Carruth in 1992 after beating Germany by just 0.86 seconds at the Sea Forest Waterway on Thursday.
The rowers were given a heroes welcome as they returned to the Olympic village after their success.
Speaking after the race, O'Donovan, who won silver with his brother Gary in Rio, said: "I mean, to be honest that was five years ago I rowed with my brother.
"I didn’t think too much about how I felt at the time, compared to how I’m feeling now.
“After winning the gold medal here today, and a silver medal last time, I probably am a little hit happier because, as a kid, you’re dreaming of winning a gold medal.
"A silver medal is nice but Fintan did the right job - straight to the top in his first Games. So he must be pretty happy, too."
McCarthy added: “Obviously really proud to be bringing home the gold. I hadn’t really thought about it before, a first Olympic gold in rowing.
"I think just for ourselves anyway it’s really satisfying to have done it - it's great to make everyone at home proud and put Ireland in the history books."
