Five years ago Helen Glover was part of one of Britain’s great double acts, up there with Redgrave and Pinsent and Morecambe and Wise, as she partnered Heather Stanning to a 39th straight win and an inevitable gold medal in the shadow of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro.
Much has changed. Stanning retired and went back to the army. Glover suffered a personal tragedy, losing one of her unborn twins before giving birth to a son in 2018; she then had twins 18 months ago. Her new rowing partner, Polly Swann, graduated from medical school and worked on the pandemic frontline as a doctor, speaking movingly of the shock of seeing the young on ventilators.
Suffice it to say that all three have
