Helen Glover’s unquenchable desire to continue to break new ground for future generations of mothers in elite sports convinced two-time Olympic rowing champion Glover to aim for more success in the sport. Paris next year
The 36-year-old player, who won the coxless doubles championship with Heather Stanning in 2012 and 2016, returned from his retirement decision and finished fourth in the postponed race. Tokyo Games in 2021 give birth to twins just one year.
Glover’s bid to qualify for the fourth Games, which will begin at the European Championships in Slovenia in May, is supported by the chance to continue normalizing the participation of returning mothers at the highest level.
“When I left Tokyo, I was really proud to have done it, but looking back I wondered what changed for the next person,” Glover told the PA news agency.
“I felt like nothing could happen without pushing the boundaries any further, wanting more, and wanting more from myself as an athlete.
“I feel like we’re at the most important time for moms in sports. There are many moms in British sport who not only come back but excel and are better than ever.
“I have always believed that when I have something exciting and challenging outside of parenthood, I am the best mother I can be. I really feel like I’m the most energetic mom while this is happening, and as long as the work-life balance is always in the kids’ favor, then I’m happy.”
Glover, who also has a son, loganAt the age of four, he admitted that he had no clear intention of continuing to Paris until his motivation was reignited by his participation in the beach rowing World Championships in Wales in October.
Noticing Glover’s enthusiasm during the beach event, which she called the “catalyst” for her decision to return, she was persuaded to give the Games another chance by her husband, television host and naturalist Steve Backshall.
“The decision-making was almost entirely dependent on my husband’s encouragement,” Glover added. “I never thought of going back and actively put nothing in place with the intention of continuing.
“I left after Tokyo, but in the summer I started paddling on the beach and was enjoying the challenge. When that was over, Steve suggested I try and it was almost surprising how welcome those words were to me.”
Glover will still face significant hurdles to secure a seat on a boat bound for Paris, starting with Europe and two World Cups ahead of the World Championship in Belgrade in September, doubling the selection races for Great Britain.
She initially decided to embark on her quest to become the first mother to row for England. Olympics as part of what he jokingly described at the time as “the lockdown project that went too far.”
Following his success in Japan, Glover had no clue that he would turn his attention to Paris, but ironically, the enormity of this success that grew out of such unique times contributed to the belief that he ultimately had something else to prove.
“What Tokyo changed for me was any questioning as to whether that was possible,” Glover added. “The whole process was so short, I had Covid and I had just given birth to twins and I don’t think I really believed it could be done.
It was about doing something that had never been done before. Now it’s about trying to do that while being the best mom I can be.
Helen Glover
“Finally, I was like, ‘I did it under all these hardships, so why am I not doing it properly now?’ I thought. It was about doing something that had never been done before. Now it’s about trying to do it while being the best mom I can be.”
Like her double Olympic gold medalist friend Max Whitlock, Glover is eager to compete in front of her younger children. Three-year-old twins Kit and Willow are approaching the age when they are ready to watch their mother compete live for the first time.
“This whole big picture thing, all this trying to change the face of women in sports can be pretty daunting and pretty big,” Glover said.
“Then I look up and I think about the simplicity of seeing my kids in the stands, and I think it’s going to be great regardless of the outcome. They’re definitely old enough to go out and watch me race. If they could see that happening, I think it would have put it all together.”