HEATHER Gordon says she is hopeful her crew can successfully defend their world title when they take to the water this week.
Heather Gordon.
The Inverness rower is in the Great Britain squad that is set to compete in the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals in Turkey which starts on Thursday.
She is competing in the Coastal Mixed Coxed Quadruple Sculls at Manavgat, Antalya, with the competition taking place between Thursday and Sunday.
She is in the squad alongside Natasha Phillips, Gregor Hall, Chris Thompson and Ryan Glymond.
Gordon (24) helped Great Britain win gold in the same event last year at the World Championship which took place in Genoa, Italy.
Heather Gordon.
She says the crew are going into the world championships confident that they can retain their title.
“Preparations have been really good and I have just come back from a training week in South Shields with the Great Britain team,” she said.
“It was great to get the team together and working hard in the same place.
“I think that we are in for a really good shot in the competition and it will be nice to go along to try and defend the title.”
Heather Gordon.
Since winning the world title last year, Gordon has been competing in a number of competitions in rowing across Great Britain.
It will be the first competition Gordon has competed in abroad since winning the world championship title 14 months ago.
Two weeks later, Gordon will then be travelling with Team Scotland to compete at a Commonwealth Regatta in Barbados.
“Conditions and temperatures will be different to what we have been training in the UK,” she said.
“But it will be nice to get out there and compete in the sun and do some racing in an hot weather climate.”
Heather Gordon.
Gordon first got involved in rowing when she was 12-years-old when she attended a summer camp.
It was quickly ascertained that she had a real talent for the sport and continued to impressed in rowing as she got older.
She said: “I started as a junior in flat rowing and it is only in the last three years that I have transitioned to beach sprints.
“It has been really exciting and I can’t wait for what is to come in the future.”
Beach sprint rowing is set to become an Olympic sport in Los Angeles in 2028 and Gordon hopes that she can be in contention to be selected to represent Great Britain.
“That is an aim for me to try and be selected for the Olympic squad,” she said.
“I will just look to keep doing what I am doing.”
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