Helen Glover had said she wanted to show what all mothers might be capable of. In her case, it was silver, denied gold by two-tenths of a second.
Watched from the stands by her three children at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium today, she won a third Olympic medal 12 years after the first of two golds but came up just short in her quest to become the first British mother to win rowing gold.
Twice she had retired and twice come back to the sport hoping to act as inspiration for her fellow mums but also six-year-old son Logan and her four-year-old twins Willow and Kit.
She makes no secret of the fact that rowing takes a backseat to her family life with her husband Steve Backshall, the adventurer and TV presenter, and it has been an almighty juggling act to get to this point from school drop-offs and after-school clubs to training camps and World Cup competitions.
She has been quick to praise the adaptability of her crew mates Esme Both, Samantha Redgrave and Rebecca Shorten in fitting around her life demands, so too her coach James Harris.
And in the women’s four they had comfortably been the No1 crew in the world this year winning World Cups as well as the European Championships.
Her Olympics have all been contrasting experiences. At London 2012, she and rowing partner Heather Stanning, who was also here watching as a Team GB athlete ambassador, had not been household names before winning Team GB’s first gold of a home Games.
Four years on, they were as much a favourite for gold as was humanly possible, And in Tokyo last time around Glover had said it was simply a victory to make it on to the plane having left behind one-year-old twins at home.
Today wo;; likely be the denouement to Glover’s illustrious career at the age of 38. But having twice quit but returned, never say never
That Games had only been possible when Covid caused a year’s delay to proceedings and she trained at home in between the twins’ naps to see whether a comeback might be possible. She said she was as proud of her Tokyo appearance as the preceding two golds.
Here in Paris at her fourth Games she was back at being the favourites but the Dutch four got off to a quick start and, despite immense pressure from their British rivals, held on.
It was a final which brought out International Olympic Committee royalty with president Thomas Bach coming in late to witness what will likely be the denouement to Glover’s illustrious career at the age of 38. But having twice quit but returned, never say never.
Helen Glover said it was mixed feelings in the immediate aftermath of silver medal in the women's four. She had set her sights on gold but was delighted to high five her three children in the moments after her silver.
As for whether this will be her last Olympics, she told me she doesn't plan to carry on but says most of her team-mates think she'll be in Los Angeles in four years' time at the age of 42.
