Sir Steve Redgrave thinks that Paris 2024 might not be the end for Helen Glover

By Abi Curran

Sir Steve Redgrave would not be surprised if fellow rowing titan Helen Glover continued her Olympic exploits into 2028 as the Team GB veteran secured her fourth Olympic medal in Paris.

Glover was part of the women’s crew who settled for silver following a thrilling final at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium against now-Olympic champions the Netherlands.

As well as their rowing pedigree, Redgrave, and Glover share much in common, with the latter selected as Team GB’s flagbearer this summer alongside Tom Daley – something Redgrave did twice across his Olympic career.

On the same day, Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne and Becky Wilde sealed a brilliant bronze as the men’s four secured another of the same colour in their final, a third rowing medal within the hour.

“The media love to say Helen came back twice,” Redgrave said. “She’s never gone away, she’s never retired.

“She’s never said that she was stopping, and she never said that she was carrying on either.

“It’s always been in her mind, and she keeps that very close to her chest, even now she’s not saying that this is her last race.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if he was competing in LA in four years time.

“With Helen, we’ll never know until it happens and until she actually makes that announcement.”

Redgrave was speaking at Fulham Reach Boat Club in London, a rowing charity hosting one of many free water sports camps over the summer holidays to get those from non-traditional rowing backgrounds on the water.

National Lottery funding supports elite sport – helping athletes to be the best they can be, through training camps, world-class facilities, physio, nutrition, sports psychology – and the grassroots to support local community sports clubs all over the UK.

The strength of Team GB crews followed on from the women’s quadruple sculls’ photo-finish gold medal race, pipping the Netherlands on the final stroke.

Redgrave said: “I thought they were going to take the silver, I thought they’d left it too late.

“The Netherlands got their pacing right; they didn’t have another gear to go to at that point.

“It was just incredible how our girls and their strength, power and endurance were able to do that at the point, I thought the opportunity had gone.”

National Lottery-funded Lola Anderson was part of the history-making Olympic champion crew, the first-ever to medal for GB in the event.

Thanks to investment made possible by National Lottery players, over 1,000 medals have been won by Team GB and ParalympicsGB athletes since National Lottery funding began.

Redgrave added: “We saw Lola in the women’s quad who was talking about The National Lottery funding.

“She was inspired by the London Olympics, and you’ve got that generation of athletes should be part of keeping British sport successful at an Olympic level.”

Thanks to National Lottery players our Olympic athletes are supported to live their dreams and make the nation proud. With more than £30M a week raised for Good Causes, The National Lottery has enabled Great Britain to become a global force in Rowing and has provided more opportunities for people inspired by our athletes to take part in the sport. For details visit www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk