Olympic gold winning rower Kat Copeland has revealed she is considering giving up her sport at the top level.
The 21-year-old returned to emotional scenes at her parents' home in Stokesley, North Yorkshire, on Monday after her triumph in the London Games. After tasting such success with Sophie Hosking in the women's lightweight double scull event, the heroine is now taking stock of her future.
She told the Northern Echo newspaper: "If I keep rowing it is a four-year commitment, so it is a big thing, and a big decision to make."
She added: "I have about a month to decide what I am going to do, but I might give it up."
Ms Copeland will make a decision on whether she will commit to training for the Rio games in the coming month.
She is considering studying biology at Newcastle University instead.
Her ecstatic reaction to winning gold has become one of the outstanding images of the London Olympics.
She told her partner: "We've won the Olympics. We're going to be on a stamp!"