Ransley up for Rio scrap

Rowing

Team GB rower Tom Ransley is hell-bent on completing his four-year project at the Rio Olympics – no matter which boat he is put in.

At London 2012 the former King’s School, Canterbury pupil, helped the British men’s eight claim a bronze medal before going on to win back-to-back world titles in the same boat.

However, last year the 30-year-old was placed in the four alongside Alan Sinclair, Scott Durant and Nathaniel Reilly-o’donnell.

That hasn’t stopped the medals, however, as Ransley and his team-mates won European gold before picking up a bronze at the World Championships, with Stewart Innes coming in to replace Reilly-o’donnell.

And with the Olympic trials taking place at the national training centre in Caversham later this month (March 2123), Ransley says he would be happy to simply be on the plane to Brazil as he bids to improve on his last Games showing in London.

He said: “The Olympic trials are important. You’re geared up to try to win the Olympics and have to perform internally to make the boats.

“They’re pressurised but as it’s the Olympics you want to test athletes under pressure so you know how they’ll perform on the international stage.

“Getting to Rio is important to me. I came back after London intent on winning gold at this Olympics. This is what the whole four years has been building towards. I was in the eight in London and the eight is close to my heart. We battled the Germans and come out with silver and bronze medals in the last Olympiad.

“In 2013 we won world gold, we were the first British eight to win the World Championships. We then defended that medal at the worlds in 2014.

“Having said all of that, my aim is to make myself as strong as I can and perfect my rowing.” After a hectic 2015, Ransley spent the winter in hard training to ensure his body was ready for an Olympic year. He added: “I’m feeling in good shape and the winter has gone well.”

Invesco Perpetual is a proud supporter of Ransley’s Leander Club. A 14-year relationship built on a shared philosophy and commitment to investing in people, nurturing talent and taking a long-term approach, with 111 Olympic rowing medals won by Leander Club members since 1908.

Tom Ransley – faces Olympic trials