A TAVISTOCK College student has been named the tenth best under 18 rower in the country after taking part in the sport for just five months. Sam Twine, 16, beat hundreds to secure a place on the talent scheme for Team GB, with the focus on the Olympics in 2016. He is now busy working his way up the ranks and secured the top ten slot at the British Indoor Rowing Championships in Birmingham.
'Because I'm 16 I was one of the youngest there as it was for 16 to 18-year-olds,' said Sam. It was a 2km race on the rowing machine and I got flu the week before so I was pleased to just be competing. I got a personal best of 6 minutes 38.6secs and the guy in ninth place got 6.38 so I was half a second off.'
Having been rowing seriously for mere months, the championships were Sam's first major competition and a chance to prove himself as he trains for a place in Great Britain's squad.
'I'm pleased with the way it's going, he said. 'During the winter we're mainly in the gym so the training is getting a lot harder and I need a bit more motivation. It's lots of weights and rowing machines rather than being out on the water.'