Cornwall's Helen Glover confirms Tokyo 2020 was definitely her last Olympics
The rower from Penzance narrowly missed out on a medal - after coming fourth with partner Polly Swan in the women's pairs
Cornwall's Helen Glover says 'trying and failing is no problem as long as you try' after missing out on a medal at Tokyo 2020.
The rower from Penzance narrowly missed out with her partner Polly Swann, coming in fourth position in the women's pairs final.
But the mum-of-three says she is so proud of her Olympic comeback and can't wait to get home to see her children.
Glover, the dual Olympic champion chasing glory at a third straight games after almost four years off to start a family, could not quite claim another medal as she and Swann trailed in winners New Zealand, the Russian Olympic Committee and third-placed Canada.
Cornwall's Helen Glover misses out on Olympic medal but 'so proud' of comeback
While the 35-year-old – who became the first mum to row for Britain at an Olympics – missed another chance at a medal, she said she was proud with her efforts as she confirmed these would be her last games.
The mother of three tweeted: “SO proud to make the Olympic final & come home with 4th. Polly Swann has been the most incredible teammate and you’ve all been amazing support. Thank you!! Now can we invent a teleport machine to get me straight home to the little ones??”
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.”
Glover also sent an emotional message to her children. She and her husband, broadcaster and adventurer Steve Backshall, are parents to three-year-old Logan and one-year-old twins Kit and Willow.
She told BBC Sport: “They’re sometimes up at this time in the morning so they might be watching now.
“I love them so much, they’ve been my inspiration. I never saw myself getting back in a rowing boat until they came along. You can do anything you want to do.
“Trying and failing is not a problem, as long as you try. All the parents who have supported me on the way, thank you for your messages.”
UK Sport praised Glover and 33-year-old Swann, who has mixed training with working as an NHS doctor during the coronavirus pandemic – saying both were inspirations.
“Helen Glover makes history as the first mum to row for Team GB with Polly Swann who juggled training with working as an NHS junior doctor during the pandemic,” the organisation tweeted.
“Neither woman needs a medal to prove they are superhuman and inspire the world.”
Swann told BBC Sport: “I think we always knew in the Olympic final people were going to go out hard.
“We thought we might have a bit more of a buffer but it wasn’t to be.”
She also said she was looking forward to returning to work for the NHS next week.
“It’s at Borders General Hospital and I’m looking forward to having a new team behind me and seeing what I can do,” said Swann, adding her team-mate may have inspired her to stage a later comeback.
“I’ve always been tempted to do a Helen Glover and do a bit of a rowing comeback. Maybe one year to work, one year to have a baby, one year to come back – we’ll see!”