How British Rowing are using a ‘third way’ to deliver Olympic glory

Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Absolutely.” open image in gallery British boats have enjoyed consistent success during this Olympic cycle Kingsley is the first woman to lead British Rowing’s elite programme and one of a handful to occupy an all-powerful director of performance role at an Olympic sport. “The athletes that we have here, more often than not, we’re having to pull them back a little as opposed to needing to push them on,” says Kingsley, whose rowers form a group of over 1,000 elite athletes on UK Sport’s National Lottery-funded World Class Programme. “They are all so highly motivated that they would go to the ends of the earth for this sport and we need to find a balance.” Kingsley inherited an organisation that struggled with the transition out of Sir David Tanner’s golden era, that delivered 27 Olympic champion crews in two decades. In my way, I like to feel that I’m bringing the best of both together to harness the people to deliver when it matters.” open image in gallery Team GB won just one silver and one bronze medal in rowing at Tokyo 2020 Kingsley and her team are profiting from the work done by coach Pete Sheppard in building a fearsome ‘Project Paris’ squad that were ready to step in straight after Tokyo.