Supermum Helen Glover wins incredible silver at Paris Olympics, with rowing also claiming two bronze medals

TEAM GB legend Helen Glover claimed a silver medal in the women’s coxless four – making it four Paris Olympic gongs for British rowing.

The quartet, led by mum-of-three and two-time Olympic champ Glover, chased down the Netherlands – who won gold – as New Zealand bagged third.

EPA

Helen Glover, Esme Booth, Samantha Redgrave and Rebecca Shorten claimed silver in the women’s four on Thursday[/caption]

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The British four were aiming for gold in Paris[/caption]

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The British women’s four hold their arms aloft to the British fans in the stands as they receive their silver medals[/caption]

The four women trailed the Dutch after the first 500m but closed the gap in yet another nail bitingly close sprint finish.

But unlike yesterday, the Brit’s couldn’t pip the Netherlands on the line, as Glover was denied a third Olympic gold.

Glover, Esme Both, Samantha Redgrave and Rebecca Shorten finished seconds behind the Dutch with a time of 6:27.31.

It came just an hour after Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne and Rebecca Wilde claimed bronze in the women’s double sculls at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium.

Meanwhile, Oli Wilkes, David Ambler, Matt Aldridge and Freddie Davidson landed bronze shortly after Glover’s silver.

The men’s quartet are back-to-back world champs and were unbeaten in a year before this race, but were outclassed by the USA and New Zealand.

Team GB flag bearer Glover, 38, won coxless pairs gold with Heather Stanning on home water in 2012 and retained the title in 2016.

It’s been some journey back for Glover, after the double Olympic champions both initially retired after Rio.

And while Stanning has returned to her military career, Glover was inspired to pick up a pair of sculls.

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After having three children and being inspired to get back in shape during the pandemic lockdown, Glover returned to elite sport.

But she suffered heartbreak at Tokyo 2020 with new partner Polly Swann, finishing fourth in the final and just missing out on a medal.

It adds to the gold medal won by Great Britain in the women’s quadruple sculls on Wednesday.

Team GB roared to their first-ever gold in that discipline with a photo finish, pipping the Dutch right at the line.

Glover previously told the BBC: “I lost myself to sport in a way because I was going through London and Rio.

“Now, I have these two awesome parts of my life that I think really complement each other when I get the balance right and it’s just about getting the balance right.

“Being the best mum makes me a better rower and the better I row, the more I can throw that into motherhood.”