Helen Glover profile: Standing on tiptoes to reach the top

Five years ago, Helen Glover had never picked up an oar and her goal was to become a teacher. She went on to achieve that – and a lot more.

A gifted sportswoman who enjoyed running, hockey and tennis, she ‘found’ rowing through Sporting Giants, a government and Lottery financed initiative, after her mother saw a newspaper advert which sought tall people with an aptitude for sport. At 5ft 9.5in tall, she had to stand on tiptoes to pass a height test for the scheme. She was later spotted by coach Paul Stannard.

In an interview, Glover said meeting Sir Steve Redgrave had been a key inspiration.

“When you think how he broke through those barriers and his health problems and his age, you think, ‘If that’s possible, then it’s possible for me to break through’.”