As the water settled after Great Britain’s silver medal in the women’s four, debate shifted to the sporting future of Helen Glover: the 38-year-old who has become the face of this rowing team.
Three was plenty to talk about. Because, just like Rafael Nadal on Wednesday, Glover gave no clear indication as to whether this had been her last rodeo or not.
“Half the team think I’m going to carry on,” said Glover, once she had collected her third Olympic medal. “I don’t plan to carry on. But I guess it’s focus on crossing the finish line and then I’ll …” She trailed off.
Glover’s answer left room for manoeuvre. It certainly wasn’t as definitive as Steve Redgrave’s “Anyone who sees me go anywhere near a boat again, ever, you’ve got my permission to shoot me,” after the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Mind you, it’s usually unwise to trust a rower when he or she starts talking about retirement. Redgrave would famously resume his partnership with Matthew Pinsent only four months after that emotional comment.
Some observers had wondered whether Glover might turn to the new Olympic rowing discipline of beach sprints, which will make its debut in Los Angeles in four years’ time as a replacement for the lightweight category.
Glover had won a silver medal at the beach sprints world championships in 2022, after all. She clearly has the skillset to manage a tiny dinghy in choppy waters. But she debunked this idea in Thursday’s news conference.
“I am from Cornwall, I do live by the coast. It’s really exciting that beach sprints is getting included, and I really enjoyed a little stint of beach sprints, but it’s not something I’m eyeing up too seriously.”
