Helen Glover: British Olympic champion hopes for place in Paris 2024 crew

Twice Olympic rowing champion Helen Glover believes she may be nearly as good as in her 20s as she goals for Paris 2024.

“The intention for London 2012 and Rio 2016 was to win, however for Tokyo it was to only make the crew and present what ladies can do,” Glover, 36, advised BBC Sport.

She added that her motivation for Paris “is a combination of the 2”.

“I can and I need to profit from what my physique can do,” she stated.

Glover grew to become the primary mom to row for Nice Britain on the Olympics when she raced alongside Polly Swann within the ladies’s pairs in Tokyo, with the duo ending fourth.

“There is a stigma round age, youngsters and having a break. I consider I may be nearly as good as I used to be in my 20s,” she stated.

Glover has been coaching with the British squad for the previous six months and received the Ladies’s Single within the November trials.

“If I did not have the children then I would not be as motivated. Being a mum makes me a greater rower, and being a rower makes me a greater mum!”

‘They’re cheering and shouting ‘go Mummy’!’

Glover praised her “supportive” husband, wildlife TV presenter Steve Backshall, for “relishing dad duties” whereas she trains.

When she competed on the postponed Tokyo Video games in 2021 her twins have been one and her son was three. If she is chosen for Paris subsequent yr, they may perceive higher their mum’s achievement.

“Logan is choosing up on issues and takes pleasure in me doing it [pushing for another Olympics],” Glover stated.

“The twins are the most important cheerleaders – they’re there cheering and shouting ‘go Mummy!’

“It is actually weird as a result of earlier than I had them, I used to be a full-time athlete and that was my id however now it is the other.

“It is like I stay a double life as a result of they’re going to at all times be a very powerful factor to me now.”