KATHERINE GRAINGER, the joint most decorated female British Olympian of all time, looks set to miss out on the chance to claim a fifth medal in Rio de Janeiro this summer. The Scot, who followed three successive silvers by taking gold in the double sculls with Anna Watkins in London in 2012, has failed to win a place in Team GB’s women’s eight team. Her double sculls partnership with Vicky Thornley was dissolved last month after the pair failed to make the medal podium at the recent European Championships. The Olympic squad will be confirmed on Thursday, with Grainger’s only hope now of selection resting on being taken as a reserve or on her partnership with Thornley being reinstated.
Glaswegian Grainger, 40, famously “retired” after her achievements in London four years ago, but returned to competitive rowing in 2014 as she set her sights on competing at a fifth successive Olympics. Her four medal-haul ties her with swimmer Rebecca Adlington as the most successful British female Olympian of all time but it now looks unlikely she will get the chance to pursue a fifth gong.
A statement from British Rowing confirmed neither Grainger nor Thornley would compete in the women’s eight. It read: “Selection in sport is always an emotive issue and never more emotive than in Olympic year. Coaches have to make hard decisions. British Rowing is confident that the process that we have followed for both Vicky Thornley and Katherine Grainger has been appropriate.
“They were clearly disappointed with their performance in the women’s double scull at the European Championships in early May. Whilst we had not lost confidence in them and felt they were still a potential medal boat they asked to be considered instead for selection to the women’s eight, which is already a proven medal winning combination. We opened up a process and gave them the opportunity. They have not been successful and we are now looking at next steps in a selection process which is ongoing.”
Last month Grainger admitted there was a chance she may not make it to Rio. “It has put my Olympic place in the balance," she said after the European Championships.
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