TOKYO BECKONS FOR ROWER HELEN
CORNWALL’S Helen Glover is hoping to make Olympic history by becoming the first woman to be selected for the British Olympic rowing team after having children.
Nine years after winning London 2012 gold with Heather Stanning, the mother of three is bidding for Tokyo.
CORNWALL’S golden girl, Helen Glover, is attempting to create her own piece of history – by becoming the first woman to make a Great Britain Olympic team after having children.
Glover, who is now 34 and hails from Penzance, has taken some time out from the sport to have a family and during those four years out of the limelight, she married her partner, Steve Backshall, and had three children, Logan (two) and twins Bo and Kit (one).
Now, having been back in training near her home in Maidenhead for the past seven months, Glover is targeting a place in the Team GB squad for the summer Olympics in Tokyo having linked up with the Rowing team at their base in Caversham.
“It started as a desire to get my fitness back after having the twins, training during their nap time,” Glover said. “When lockdown came it meant more hours on the rowing machine than I had anticipated.
“As my scores and times started getting better, I began to wonder if I could be the first woman in British Rowing history to make an Olympic team after having children.
“I’m finding the journey exciting and extremely challenging. Trying to be an elite sportswoman and also the best mother I can be to young babies is certainly teaching me a lot.”
Glover won gold along with her rowing partner, Heather Stanning, at both the 2012 games in London and then four years later in Rio. She is one of British rowing’s most decorated stars having started in 2008 under coach Paul Stannard but, while competing in Japan is a huge personal goal, she knows that it is not the be all and end all.
“It felt like being the most important thing in the world, standing on top of that podium,” Glover said. “And this time round, I can honestly say that my big picture is very, very different.
“I am a Mum and we are living in a pandemic and we have all these things that are daily and constantly reminding me that sport is not the most important thing, it is a real privilege to get to do.
“It is exciting and I love it, but it’s not part of the big picture that is going on right now.
“To be able to have the opportunity to get on the plane to Tokyo and be the first mother to step into a boat for GB and row and represent, I would feel so, so honoured and, for me, would be a huge achievement.”
Director of Performance Brendan Purcell said: “It’s fantastic to have Helen back training with the squad. She’s an incredible athlete and brings a huge amount to the team.
“At this stage, all options are open and there’s a lot left to be decided but Helen has already displayed her qualities as an elite level athlete by placing herself in contention for Tokyo.”
Glover is certainly receiving plenty of support from those close to her with former rowing partner Stanning promising to be her ‘chief cheerleader’ if she makes it to Tokyo.
“It’s such great news to hear Helen is back in a boat and challenging for a place at the Tokyo Olympics,” Stanning said. “She’s an awesome athlete who clearly brings a huge amount of experience to any boat she rows in.
“I was lucky to have shared both my Olympic journeys with her and now can’t wait to be chief cheerleader at the next Games!”