As Britain celebrates its best ever result in an overseas Olympic regatta, its leading rower Helen Glover has called on her bosses to do even more. More for working mothers.
In Paris, Glover and Mathilda Hodgkins Byrne became the first British women to win medals. a silver and a bronze each – in rowing after starting a family.
It was a huge achievement, but Glover told Telegraph Sport: “We can’t pat ourselves on the back too much. This has been going on for a long time in a lot of other nations, but we are a nation that has historically been quite slow to react and change.
“Both Mathilda and I put a lot of energy into making it work, rather than just training and rowing. What has really changed on the ground is the fact that we know it can be done. Not the fact that we know exactly how to do it.
“I would love to work for British Rowing, making it possible for mothers to (continue to compete) in a way that is really viable, in a way that everyone understands and in a way that women feel supported. (We should try) to make it not only work for you, but also make you stand out.”
Thursday’s action in Vaires-sur-Marne proved beyond a doubt that motherhood can coexist with Olympic success in rowing. It wasn’t just about Glover wins silver in the women’s fourbut her story, which combines elite sporting performance with her daily commitment to Logan, five, and twins Kit and Willow, three, has made her the most visible rowing mother at these Games.
No, the story had begun even earlier. In the first final of the day – the women’s double sculls – three of the six medallists were mothers: not only Hodgkins Byrne (whose son Frankie is two years old), but also the winning New Zealand crew of Brooke Francis and Lucy Spoors, who will start their family in 2022.
“There is perhaps a slightly more relaxed atmosphere,” Glover said of rowing in New Zealand. “But then again, British Rowing does so many things well that it is a delicate balance. I would be very reluctant to move away from the probably more rigid structure that British Rowing has. It works, but you always wonder: could it be better? How much more talent could we retain, not just mothers but retired athletes as well?”
Retention will undoubtedly be a major issue for the sport in the coming weeks and months. Great Britain finished top of the rowing rankings in Rio but then saw a host of exceptional talents leave the sport, including Constantine Louloudis, George Nash and Paul Bennett.
There are plenty of female medallists considering their futures this time around, so it was encouraging to hear from Hodgkins Byrne this week. Speaking to Telegraph Sport, she explained that some of these women are already looking to follow her example.
“Ann Redgrave (British Rowing’s medical director, whose husband Steve remains Britain’s most decorated rower) interviewed Helen and me about our experiences to find out how best to develop their policy,” said Hodgkins Byrne.
“Obviously, we are the best example they have of people who have been through the same thing. They definitely think that if they can learn from us and not have to go through the same initial problems again, they will try it. I think there are a lot of people who are thinking about following us, which I think is fantastic.”
While Hodgkins Byrne and his rowing partner Rebecca Wilde are absolutely clear that they want to reach Los Angeles in 2028, Glover says he has It has not been decided yet about the next Olympic cycle, having discovered in previous Games that the worst time to decide such questions is immediately after the competition.
But no matter what happens, she has found a cause that inspires her. “Whatever I do, I will continue to carry that flag for parents and for what is possible,” she said. “You get a lot in return because you immediately see the difference.”
“From Tokyo until now, the landscape is very different than before for women in sport. It keeps changing very quickly, it doesn’t take decades, it’s really very small moments that happen very quickly.
“It’s really amazing that before Rio, the conversation was always about how you would move on or whether you would have a family. The two things were never mixed, even in terms of speculative conversations. And now we’re sitting around tables with women on the team, and a lot of them are saying, ‘Yeah, I could come back after having a family. ’ A lot of people won’t, but every single one of them should have the option. So it’s really great to see that happening so quickly.”
