VICKY
THORNLEY is moving on up.
Having just managed to squeeze time into her gruelling training regime to move
into a new house, she now returns to the water with defending
Olympic champ Katherine Grainger.
GB trials winner Thornley reprises her 2015 partnership with four-times
Olympic medallist Grainger, after the pair were named in the women’s double
scull at the European championships in Germany a week today.
And an impressive display out in Brandenburg will help cement selection for
the Rio Games this summer.
Thornley, 28, admits she even trained on Christmas Day in the pursuit of her
Olympic dream.
Britain’s fastest female sculler said: “We train every day
including Christmas Day and I moved house around then as well.
“It was a bit crazy trying to fit in training twice a day and moving into a
new house with my boyfriend Ric, a bit mad. We’ve unpacked all the boxes now
and done quite well!
“When the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Eve for 2016 it did come into my
mind this was the Olympic year! It’s the one that we’ve all been waiting for
and working towards.”
That work includes winning the single sculls at the Olympic trials last month
by more than SEVEN seconds.
She said: “Olympic medals are always what you are going for and everything
else is a stepping stone.
“But you do need to sit back and look at what you achieve along the way
because not everyone comes away from the sport with Olympic medals.
“I won the Olympic trials by seven seconds which is pretty convincing. I’ve
never done that before and was a long way off winning in 2012.
“So it is nice to sit back and appreciate winning a race.
“Winning races is hard no mater whether it’s the Olympic trials or the Olympic
games. I remember when I crossed the line I was so focused on how I was
rowing I didn’t even realise what I’d done. Only later when I took a step
back did I think it was pretty cool.
“You have to appreciate the good days as there are plenty of bad ones! It
makes it all worthwhile when you are getting up to train on Christmas Day.
You have to think about the journey along the way.“
Anna Watkins, who partnered Grainger to Olympic gold at London 2012, has given
up on her dream of a comeback after taking time off to have a second child.
That leaves Thornley free to link up with Grainger, who turned 40 last month
and is targeting a fifth Olympics after coming out of retirement in 2014.
She is aiming to add to her medal haul of one gold and three silvers.
Thornley said: “It’s great racing with that experience. If I want to achieve
what I want in rowing, I want to do it with the best people and give myself
the best opportunity.“
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Thornley is hoping the pairs can help her improve on the fifth-place finish
she managed in the women’s eight at London 2012 having only taken up rowing
five years earlier after her mum spotted a newspaper advert searching for
potential Olympians.
She said: “Being selected for the Olympics is what I do everything for and why
I get up every day. And it’s not just to go, it’s to go and win a medal and
be on the podium. It’s going to be hard but it’s definitely something we can
do.
“Compared to even last year I think I have stepped up. As you get better then
the margins are smaller but I definitely know on my performances over the
year that I have moved on in the right direction.“
SHOW JUMPING was the first love of Vicky Thornley before she made her big
career change.
And, thanks to your help, she has gone on to become one of the United
Kingdom’s best rowers.
Vicky was spotted during UK Sport’s Sporting Giants scheme which was set up to
fast track tall athletes in an Olympic sport.
By playing the National Lottery, your cash has enabled 6ft 4in tall Vicky to
find her true talent and join the World Class Programme supporting 1,300
British Olympic and Paralympic athletes. She now wants to do the UK proud at
the 2016 Games in Rio.
Vicky said: “The National Lottery has enabled me to get to where I am today.
“Without it, I may not have become recognised as a rower and be fortunate
enough to be able to represent Team GB in my second Olympic Games.”
Vicky is coached by UK Sport’s elite coach Paul Thompson, who is a leading
part of the hugely successful lotteryfunded GB Rowing Team. National Lottery
funding has supported more than 90 rowing clubs in Vicky’s home nation Wales.
So far, £43million of funding has been invested in grassroots rowing, helping
to make it one of Britain’s most popular sports.