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Katherine Grainger became the most decorated female British Olympian ever on Thursday after winning the silver medal in the double skulls event with her partner Vicky Thornley
Katherine Grainger became the most decorated female British Olympian ever on Thursday after winning the silver medal in the double skulls event with her partner Vicky Thornley. The 40-year-old claimed her fifth Olympic medal in Rio – taking her ahead of the previous record holder Rebecca Adlington.
Their success at the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas has come as a surprise to some, as Katherine initially missed a place in the women's team for Rio in June, but belatedly earned a place after coming sixth at the World Championships alongside Welsh athlete Vicky.
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Katherine has become the most decorated female Olympian of all time
Katherine has now competed – and won medals – in five consecutive Olympic Games. She had previously won gold in the same event with Anna Watkins at the London 2012 Olympics, and picked up a silver medal at the Sydney, Athens and Beijing Olympics too.
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The success will come as a huge relief to Katherine, who previously said she was determined to win a medal in Rio.
Katherine and her partner Vicky Thornley won silver in the double skulls event
"I didn't take time out, then come back, to go to a fifth Olympics and just get a T-shirt. Vicky and myself both want a medal and we haven't lowered our sights," she said. "It's not been the smoothest or most direct route but it's a relief that we're there.
"There have been days when I couldn't necessarily see a way forward but I never stopped believing I could get there. I knew coming back was a huge task for me physically and mentally, getting back in a boat and back to where my standards and expectations were. I always saw that as being the biggest test I'd face."