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- Samuel Loch, Drew Ginn, Nicholas Purnell, Joshua Dunkley-Smith pose with their b... © Richard Heathcote/ Getty Images
As we took off from the start I knew the guys were ready to race. We had discussed the idea of putting it out there for five weeks.
By “putting it out there” I mean we talk a lot about taking the risk and going for gold. Probably more important was the idea of giving ourselves the best chance to get a great result. To have a great row was going to be about not holding back and one thing was for sure- we had not been able to row from behind in any race to that point, so sticking our noses in front become a simple focus.
We lead early and as we went through the early stages it was the GB crew and the Greeks who came with us which meant we were going to be well placed to deliver on our challenge for ourselves and establish a positive race rhythm. It was pretty interesting in the boat as I sat in the 2 seat which is the second seat to pass the finish line at the end. The vantage point I had was cool. From the day before in the semi final our bow seat- or the first person across the finish- Sam Loch had asked if I could look less out of the boat. I agreed as in the semi it was about getting through the final but also conserving energy. For this reason I was making sure none of our competitors surprised us late in the race. I did more looking to keep things covered. With the rowing program changing to have us racing a semi and final on consecutive days, it would require some conservation on our part. I believe this enabled us to go for it in the final.
There we were in a beautiful place called Bled in Slovenia and out in the middle of this lake having our little battle:
Firstly to get out in front.
Secondly to maximise our boat speed.
Third to sustain our effort for 6 odd minutes.
Positioning, competition and effort all coming together in an amazing part of the world.
You could say we attempted to surprise the field and then go on with it. As I made the call at the 500m mark for catches and then hips it was great to feel the guys all respond. We were probably working too hard for our speed but better that way than getting to the end and thinking, what if?
The rest of the race we did slip from the lead as the GB crew showed their capacity. My mistake was letting the Greeks get past us in the final 500m. I must admit I didn't have a whole lot left in the tank and with my focus of staying in our boat I was surprised the Greeks surged back up to us and were through pretty quickly with 250m to go.
The race is never over until the finish line but often the story of the race has been told and the ending is clear. Many people said I looked happy after the race and in a sense I was.
Happy with where we had come from.
Happy after all the ups and downs of our preparations after being selected and happy to come away with some hardware.
I guess I smiled because I believe there is no point looking frustrated after as we had our chance during the race to do better. That’s right, we had our chance then and for all the months before.
On this occasion in Bled we achieve a good result. A simple smile can highlight satisfaction and cover disappointment. It could have been much worse and like many athletes, I wish it was better.
Looking back I am reminded that three years ago I was unable to walk properly.
Unable to bend over and touch my toes.
Unable to put my shoes on without help which is why I started wearing slip ons.
I was unable to carry my kids.
Certainly unable to sit in a boat which pretty much meant I was unable to row.
The three years has not been easy but I must say I am happy mainly because all these things and more I am able to do again. A bronze medal then is like icing on the cake of a three year process. Not that I am settling for this as it really is just a step towards London. By then it will be a four year journey, process and experience and one like none I have gone through before.
Exciting times ahead and as Bled has come and gone I am all too aware how quickly the next 11 months will fly by. Challenge now is to get back into training after a period of rest and to ensure the steps ahead are the best we can. I say we because it really is a team effort. Between the crew, our coach, all the support staff, family, friends and supporters it’s amazing how it all came together in Bled and how this coming together in the lead-up to London is what it's all about. One thing is for sure- I am pretty happy now my hands have finally toughened up. Still some blisters to come but hopefully I won't have hands like I did this year.
Drew