GB Rowing Team performance director Sir David Tanner insists he is full of optimism for 2016 following the Olympic trials.
The Olympic rowing trials concluded on Wednesday with Alan Campbell winning the men’s single scull final for a ninth time, his first triumph since 2012 when he went on to claim bronze at the Games in London.
There was also the familiar sight of Moe Sbihi and Alex Gregory climbing the top step of the podium again as they did so for the fourth time in a row and third overall respectively with victory in the men’s pairs final, the duo leading from start to finish.
Reigning Olympic, European and world champions Helen Glover and Heather Stanning were celebrating a third triumph in the women’s pairs, and they did so in style with their margin of victory over Jess Eddie and Polly Swann sitting at more than ten seconds.
There was also a hat-trick of victories for Vicky Thornley after she led the women’s singles sculls from the outset to beat Holly Nixon to the win.
Lightweights Charlotte Taylor, Will Fletcher, Sam Scrimgeour and Jono Clegg all recorded maiden victories at the event with impressive performances at Caversham.
And although he faces several selection questions ahead of this summer’s European Championships and Rio 2016 Olympics, Sir David was delighted with the performances on show.
“We’ve had an exceptional set of Trials which is suitable for an Olympic year,” he said.
“We’ve had some great racing and it was good to see the standard of our Olympians stepping up with some top-level performances.
“We still have some questions as we move towards our crew formation. We have good information from these Trials as we start putting together our boats for the European Championships in May and then, later in the year, for the Olympics.”
Sportsbeat 2016