Jess Morrison and Annabelle McIntyre have won Australia’s first rowing medal in the Paris Olympics, clinching bronze in the women’s pair.

The Australians finished behind dominant Dutch world Ymkje Clevering and Veronique Meester, with Romanians Ioana Vrinceanu and Roxana Anghel taking silver on Friday morning at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium.

It’s the second Olympic medal for the Aussie women rowers after they won gold in the women’s four in Tokyo.

Clevering and Meester burst out from the start line and were never headed, with the rest of the field battling for the minor medals.

Australia appeared headed for silver until they were overtaken by Romania about 100m before the finish.

–AAP