Glover, whose journey in rowing began late when she was picked up as a 21-year-old by UK Sport’s Sporting Giants programme, designed to unearth potential stars in the run-up to London, was the first mother to row for Team GB at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.
She has paved the way for others, including Hodgkins-Byrne, who produced a stirring performance alongside Wilde to take bronze in the women’s doubles sculls.
Hodgkins-Byrne took time away after Tokyo 2020 to give birth to son Freddie, while Wilde has an inspiring story of her own having started out as a swimmer who only switched sports in 2017.
The Olympics is just her third international event after needing surgery on her forearms last September, but just 10 months on, and having only recently teamed up with Hodgkins-Byrne, the pair earned a surprise spot on the podium behind champions New Zealand and silver medallists Romania.
“I wasn’t meant to be riding this Olympiad and I did and I’ve loved every minute of it,” said Hodgkins-Byrne, adding that two-year-old Freddie has already tried to pinch her medal.
“It’s just so many years of hard work,” continued Wilde. “I’ve dreamed of coming to the Olympics and winning medals for as long as I can remember, it’s so special.”
The men’s four of Wilkes, Ambler, Aldridge and Davidson followed up with another bronze to bring GB’s total to four rowing medals in Paris, already one more than they managed at Tokyo 2020.
Team Ireland’s Daire Lynch and Philip Doyle also won bronze in the men’s double sculls.
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