Cracknell aims for Boat Race glory at 46
DOUBLE Olympic Gold medallist James Cracknell has returned to competing on the River Thames in a bid to become the oldest rower ever to compete in the Boat Race.
The 46-year-old, who is currently studying at Cambridge University, took part in the Henley Fours and Eights on Saturday.
The Cambridge boat beat the Leander Club by 13 seconds over a 3,000 metre course. Cracknell who was wearing the Cambridge Light Blue kit was rowing in seat two.
If he is selected in April he will become the oldest man ever to compete in the race – beating Andy Probert, who was 38 when he coxed Cambridge in 1992 and Mike Wherley who was 36 when he rowed for Oxford in 2008.
Cracknell, who has two Olympic Gold medals from Sydney in 2000 and Athens in 2004, would also become the most decorated man to row in the annual contest against Oxford.
Last year Cracknell, who is taking a masters degree in philosophy, tweeted: “Honoured to have gained a place on an MPhil at @Cambridge_Uni. I’ll need the support of my amazing family to do the course and if I go for Boat Race selection support of old heart and lungs required #nevertooold.”