London 2012 Olympics: ‘I’m a bride at last’ says golden girl Katherine Grainger

After claiming silver at three successive Olympic Games, Glasgow-born Grainger cemented her status as the most successful oarswoman in British history when she and Anna Watkins powered to glory in the double sculls.

Andy Murray will go for gold tomorrow after beating Novak Djokovic in the tennis semi-final. He now faces Roger Federer just four weeks after the Swiss maestro destroyed his Wimbledon dream in the same arena.

Murray is now guaranteed a silver medal at least.

There was more success in the Velodrome where Victoria Pendleton won gold in the women’s keirin – some consolation after being relegated in the team sprint – and the men’s team pursuit also claimed the Olympic title, along with a new world record time.

But there were few successes welcomed as warmly as Grainger finally claiming gold.

She described her glittering prize as “the people’s medal” in a touching tribute to all those who helped her to reach the summit of her sport.

She punched the air after crossing the finishing line at Eton Dorney to a rapturous reception from the 30,000-strong crowd.

“I am a bride at last,” she laughed afterwards.

The 35-year-old, who contemplated retirement after missing out on gold in Beijing four years ago, offered a self-effacing tribute to those who have stood by her. “I feel this medal of all of them is the people’s medal,” she said.

“I feel so many people have been behind me and supported me and wanted this for me as much as I have.

“It’s off the back of everyone I’ve ever worked with, everyone I’ve ever rowed with, everyone who’s helped me, going back to my family who were there from the beginning, to my friends at school, university.

“Every single person’s been a part of this, and it makes the medal seem so much more special.”

Crying with joy as she stood on the victory pontoon, the criminal law postgraduate thought about her long and arduous journey towards Olympic glory, the “blood, sweat and tears” shed down the years.

Grainger said: “Any Olympic medal is a phenomenal achievement in itself. Having had three in the past of, for me, not the right colour, it became the one I wanted.”

Asked whether her decorated career would have been left unfulfilled had victory slipped once more from her grasp, she replied: “In a word, yes. As an individual, I would have been a happy, secure, safe, normal-ish person. But as an athlete it would always have been the one I didn’t get.”

For those who have charted her progress in the water since she first picked up an oar aged 23 while studying law in Edinburgh, it was a day of drama and euphoria, with messages of congratulation flowing in from around Scotland.

The tumult of emotion was most keenly felt by her parents, Liz and Peter, who said: “We went into Beijing really hoping that would be the gold medal, and it wasn’t. Until the finishing line I wasn’t going to bank on anything.”

Asked whether her daughter had been affected by the seemingly elusive gold medal, Mrs Grainger said: “It’s always in the back of your mind.”

And she described the commanding Team GB victory as “a release” which gave her “huge pride” and “huge relief”.

She added: “We’ll be able to think, ‘tick’, she’s got that now. We can hopefully get on with life.”

In Aberdeen, where Ms Grainger once lived with her family, hordes of wellwishers let out a huge cheer as she took gold.

Carol Wallace, a committee member at Aberdeen Boat Club, where the rower trained and is an honorary member, echoed the sentiments of many watching the race on a big screen.

“She’s always here giving talks and presenting medals, and we were all behind her. We’re so excited and pleased for her, it’s a brilliant, brilliant result,” Ms Wallace said.

“She’s got that determination, a will to win, and she keeps on going. It’s a wonderful day for her and Anna. She’s such an inspiration for young rowers.”

At the cavernous Olympic Stadium, where the athletics programme began yesterday, the announcement that Ms Grainger had secured Team GB yet another gold in Windsor produced a massive cheer.

Scotland’s sports minister, Shona Robison, said: “Katherine’s well-deserved and long-awaited gold is brilliant.

“The noise in the stands as she and Anna crossed the line was just incredible, and I can’t wait to see her to pass on my congratulations.”

Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: “Congratulations Katherine Grainger and Anna Watkins – brilliant achievement.”

Even before yesterday, Ms Grainger’s place in the history books was assured. She became Britain’s first female Olympic rowing medallist at Sydney in 2000 and in 2006, was appointed an MBE.

Ms Robison also paid tribute to Murray. She said: “Andy Murray’s thrilling win has kept all of us on the edge of our seats and, once again, the whole of Scotland will get behind him – go for gold, Andy.”