Single-minded switch to the pursuit of excellence

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OLYMPIC triple silver-medallist Katherine Grainger is keeping her options open in her quest to land gold in London in 2012.

The Aberdeen rowing legend has won silver medals – in the quadruple sculls in the Beijing games last year, in Sydney in 2000 and another in the coxless pairs in Athens in 2004. Having already made history as the first British female to win honours in three games, she is now out for a record-breaking fourth.

The determination is as strong as ever. The only question that remains is in what event she will compete.

Having spent the majority of her rowing career as part of a crew, this year Grainger has competed solo in the single sculls.

Typically, she has excelled beyond even her own lofty ambitions, winning a silver medal in the world championships in Poland in September.

The stunning performance in Poznan announced her arrival as a world-class solo rower – and also gave her a dilemma.

Grainger has options but the goal remains the same.

She said: “I’ll go in the event which gives me the best chance of winning gold.

“I did not really expect to have the kind of year I did in the single sculls. It was more of a personal thing. I had never done it and I wanted to challenge myself. People thought I was crazy at first.

“When you are on your own it is definitely tougher and the first half of the season was very uncomfortable.

“As it went on and the result improved I started to get a real desire and then that competitive streak kicked in.

“When we started out, my coach just told me to see how I went on, but increasingly the desire to succeed took over. I do not have to make a decision on what I am doing next season until April so I have time to think about it.

“All I know just now is the experiences gained in the singles will be of great benefit for whatever I choose to do.”

The delight in winning silver in Poland was in stark contrast to the despair at the same award in Beijing.

Grainger admitted it was a fresh experience to be the underdog for once. The four-time world champion said: “When we went to Beijing we were world champions and we were the ones to beat.

“I think that was why we were so disappointed not to win the gold. It has been a little strange in the singles. I was going up against legends in the discipline so I do not think anyone expected me to do much.”