Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Scotland's Polly Swann squeezes into women's pairs semi-finals alongside Helen Glover

Helen Glover and Polly Swann of Team GB compete against Vasilisa Stepanova and Elena Oriabinskaia of Team ROC at Sea Forest Waterway

Team GB rowers Helen Glover and Polly Swann qualified for the women’s pairs semi-finals after finishing third in their heat in Tokyo on Saturday.

Glover has already made history by becoming the first British mother to row at an Olympics but her title defence looked in jeopardy for a while at the Sea Forest Waterway on Saturday in her first involvement in the sport for more than a decade.

Glover and Scotland’s Polly Swann were some way off the pace, finishing in 7:23:98 – two seconds behind heat-winners Australia – but will compete in the semi-final on Tuesday.

Speaking afterwards she said: “It wasn't our perfect row but I guess there's value in learning in the early rounds. We're open to what's going to come next.

Glover also paid tribute to the support she and Swann have received from back home, adding: “Both Polly and I have been motivated and touched by everyone’s support. It’s meant a lot that our journey has meant something.

“Getting to this round means it’s another chance for us to go out there and see if we can progress the way we want to.”

Elsewhere in the rowing the British men’s four, who are eyeing a sixth consecutive gold in the event, won their heat to progress to the final.

Ollie Cook, Matt Rossiter, Rory Gibbs, and Sholto Carnegie are all making their Olympic debuts.

Emily Craig and Imogen Grant are safely through to the semi-finals of the lightweight double sculls but the women’s four and men’s eight will need strong performances in the repechages if they are to qualify, after finishing fourth and third respectively in their heats.

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