WITH less than 20 days remaining until Glasgow rower Angus Groom makes waves on his Olympic debut, the time is nigh for him to show his class in the boat, according to two-time silver medallist Debbie Flood.
After enjoying a breakthrough 2015 which saw him win his first World Cup medal and selected as a spare for the World Championships in Aiguebelette, Durham University graduate Groom has been selected to represent his country on the highest stage of all.
The 24-year-old will compete in the men’s quadruple sculls, a boat that has never medalled at the Olympic Games, despite the sport’s illustrious history in Great Britain.
For Flood, Groom’s rapid rise through the ranks of British Rowing is a credit to his determination to succeed, and the three-time World champion sees no reason why the Rio Olympic Games couldn’t be his crowning moment.
“Angus has had a great Olympiad, and it’s been a pleasure to see him build that up through Leander,” said Flood, speaking at the Invesco Perpetual City Regatta in Leeds.
“When I was captain of Leander, he was in the development team, doing under-23 stuff, so to see him constantly step up each year has been wonderful.
“He’s been absolutely proving himself in his single, and he absolutely deserves his place in that boat, and again, he will be so up for it.
“I definitely think this could be their year. It’s such a tough field but they have got a great attitude in that boat.
“They work really well together, they are a fun and lively group of guys and they will be up for it.
“They will be supporting each other, whatever happens in the heat or semis, nothing will get that boat down.”
Last week saw UK Sport release their medal aims for Rio, setting it up as the most successful overseas Games for Great Britain with a 48-medal target.
Six of those medals have been put on the shoulders of the rowing squad, three less than the sport’s total haul in London four years ago.
And while the target inevitably piles the pressure on this year’s team, Flood admits excitement will be overriding all other emotions as the countdown to the Games truly begins.
“Putting on those rings of the Olympic kit is so special, and that excitement will really be building,” she said.
“Those who haven’t been to the Olympics before probably will be more nervous, there is a lot of expectation, but if you use that pressure to really lift you, rather than suppress you down, then they will be fantastic and rise to the occasion.
“I think six medals is a very good target. It’s so tough, because medals are won by a matter of fractions of a second, so they’re absolutely going to have to be on their A-game, but across the board, we’re looking to bring back medals.
“The London 2012 squad is tough to beat. It was an amazing year for rowing and like we’re saying, it takes time to build people into the team, and I think London is going to be a tough target to beat.
“We will definitely be going for those six medals and more, but whether we’ll get as many golds as London we’ll have to see, but history is potentially going to be made.”
PLEASE LEAVE IN FINAL PAR - Invesco Perpetual’s innovative new ‘City Regatta’ event is a celebration of the achievements of Leander Club, the main feeder club to the GB team with 23 of its rowers headed for Rio, and aims to encourage more people across the UK to get involved in rowing.
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