HELEN Glover is relishing playing the role of hunter rather than hunted heading into an Olympic year following World Championship bronze in Belgrade.

The Truro rower teamed up with Rowan McKellar, Rebecca Shorten and Heidi Long in the women’s four and the quartet claimed the final spot on the podium behind Romania and the Netherlands.

Her three teammates were part of the crew who took gold in 2022 and though the defending champions were unable to repeat the feat, double Olympic champion Glover knows from experience how to use such results as fuel.

“In 2011, we didn’t win the worlds before the Olympics and that gave me extra motivation,” she said.

“The lesson is to never underestimate anyone. When you get the winning taste, you want to do it again and when you miss out, you are hungrier than ever.

“I’m here because I want to be, because I choose to be and I really want to row with these girls to make the boat as fast as we can.

“I’m at a point in my career where I can enjoy that and relish it.”

Glover helped the women’s four earn European Championship silver in May and the three medalling nations were the same in Belgrade, albeit in a new order as Netherlands turned the tables to come out on top.

Heather Stanning, her crewmate from her Olympic triumphs in the women’s pair in 2012 and 2016, was among Glover's supporters in Belgrade as she continues on the comeback trail following the birth of her three children, including twins in January 2020.

Given the circumstances, a third Olympic medal 12 years after her first could be one of the stories of next summer but Glover knows there is plenty of hard work ahead to make that ambition a reality.

“We know we’ve reached the speed we need to reach the top but it’s about finding the consistency with that,” she added.

“Two months ago, if someone had handed us bronze we would have taken it quite happily,” she added.

“But after the last six weeks we’ve had, we set our sights higher. It just goes to show you need a consistent year behind you rather than a consistent few weeks.”

British Rowing is the governing body for the sport and is responsible for the development of rowing in England and the training and selection of rowers to represent Great Britain. The GB Rowing Team is supported by the National Lottery Sports Fund. To find out more, and to follow the team, head to https://www.britishrowing.org/