Swann inspired by mum-of-three Glover as pair named in GB squad

How can you be tired when a mum-of-three is training for Olympic gold alongside you? That's how rower Polly Swann feels when she racks up lungbusting session after session alongside inspirational partner Helen Glover.

Edinburgh's Swann and double Olympic champion Glover were yesterday picked as Team GB'S pair for the Games in Tokyo this summer.

Swann, 33, first rowed with Glover in 2013 and from that day forward has been in awe of her team-mate.

"Eight years ago, we were in a boat together and I thought 'wow, what an athlete, she's exceptional," said Swann.

"Her drive and passion is unmatched in the sport. To come back eight years later, she has three children and has taken four years out.

"It's almost like all of my admiration has been heightened, times 100.

"On a day to day basis, you'd have no idea that Helen was up all night looking after the twins. You would have no idea she'd not been training all Olympiad. It's inspirational to train with someone like Helen who is that passionate and that determined. She doesn't see a ceiling, she doesn't see a full stop.

"I'm not a morning person, but it gets me up in the morning and makes me spring out of bed! I love coming down and pushing ourselves to the limit and to have a team-mate like Helen, who has done so much more with her life than rowing,

0 Helen Glover, left, and Polly Swann will be looking to build on their recent European title when they compete in Tokyo this summer

makes it all more worth it."

Glover has won 20 successive international regattas in the pair, forming one of the modern era's finest crews with Heather Stanning.

Swann also contributed to that unbeaten streak and they combined to become world champions in 2013.

Glover's remarkable return makes her the first mum to row for Team GB at the Olympics.andswannisacomeback kid in her own right, stepping

away to complete her medical degree having won silver in the eight at Rio 2016.

The Edinburgh University graduate, who went three years without racing internationally, also returned to the NHS frontline when Covid-19 broke out last year.

Swann feels her boat will have an edge on global rivals like New Zealand, Canada and Australia that no amount of training can forge.

"I feel like we've done some

really exceptional things together this year," added Swann, whose exploits in Tokyo will be broadcast live on Eurosport and discovery+.

"I can't wait to go to the Games and keep seeing what's possible. We want to shock ourselves and do something a bit unexpected.

"Knowing what Helen's done, knowing what I've done and what we're doing together, gives us something extra special and a bit of magic dust that

no-one else in the field has.

"I know that they're fast, there are world best time winners and they have been fulltime athletes all of this Olympiad. But we have this freshness and this excitement, which comes from our stories and the reason why we're here.

"I wouldn't want to be racing that on the start line of an Olympics, that's for sure." •Watch every unmissable moment of Olympic Games 2020 live on discovery+