Cornwall's Helen Glover misses out on Olympic medal but 'so proud' of comeback
The 35-year-old rower and her partner, Polly Swann, finished fourth in the women's pairs in Tokyo
Last updated 29th Jul 2021
Cornwall's Helen Glover has just missed out on a medal in the mother of all comebacks at the Olympics.
The Penzance rower and partner Polly Swann finished 4th in the women's pairs.
New Zealand took the title in Tokyo, ahead of Russian Olympic Committee and third-placed Canada.
35-year-old Helen, who became the first mum to row for Team GB at an Olympics, tweeted to thank everyone for their support, saying she's 'so proud'.
Speaking before the games, Helen said she had taken up the challenge for her children and especially her daughter.
Helen said: "I really think the bravest step is trying and I would love to think that - she's 14 months old now - even if she doesn't remember it, she'll know she was there, she'll know the story and I'd love to think that gave her a boost or this underlying sense of possibility".
Helen also spoke of the support for comeback and how that had been an extra motivation.
"The surge of amazing, amazing, not only well-wishes but messages from people saying this story has inspired them to try something or go back and do something they once loves before and haven't done for years, that has really hit me in a way I'd never imagined before.
"Training for London and Rio felt like such a personal journey and a personal goal - this feels like there's a huge community of people who have kind of taken this story and helped it change their lives and that just motivates me more than anything".
Speaking after the race, Glover told reporters she and Swann had given their all but were left with a mix of pride and frustration.
“The reward is knowing we crossed the line giving it our all, the frustration will be coming away thinking we had more and we didn’t", she said.
“Had it been a flat water day we would have expected to come through for that last place but it wasn’t.
“It was very hard to challenge in the final sprint but we still tried".
Glover also confirmed, as expected, this would be her last Olympics.
“In Rio I said it was my last one”, she told reporters. “This time I’m saying that it definitely is and everyone around me keeps saying ‘No, no, you’ll be back doing the single!’
“I definitely don’t see myself doing the single. That’s definitely not in the pipeline".
Helen and her husband, broadcaster and adventurer Steve Backshall, are parents to three-year-old Logan and one-year-old twins Kit and Willow.
She sent them this emotional message after the race, as well as a string of thank-yous to her support team...
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