Vicky Thornley: Retired Olympic silver medallists hopes for stability at British Rowing

Vicky Thornley was in one of six Team GB boats to finish fourth at the Tokyo Olympics

Newly-retired British rower Vicky Thornley hopes consistency and stability will surround the squad before the next Olympics in 2024.

Wales-born Thornley, a silver medallist alongside Katherine Grainger at Rio in 2016, retired on Thursday.

She admits preparations for the Tokyo Olympics were disrupted by a series of events behind-the-scenes in the sport.

"Now we really need to steady the ship," she told BBC Radio Berkshire. "There's so much talent in the team."

Thornley, who lives and trains in Oxfordshire as a member of Leander Club in Henley-on-Thames, finished fourth in the women's single sculls at the delayed 2020 Olympics.

She found herself in one of six boats who narrowly missed out on a medal at the games.

Great Britain came away with just a silver and a bronze and no gold medal for the first time at an Olympic regatta since 1980 as they finished 14th on the medal table.

Following Tokyo, Brendan Purcell stepped down as director of performance in October after three years in the job.

Thornley hinted that time had not been an easy one for a number of departments at British Rowing.

"There's been a lot of change for everybody," she said. "We're at a really interesting time for the team.

"That includes athletes, support staff, management and coaches.

"There's been some unease and it made Tokyo more challenging than it needed to be, even before everything that came with Covid-19 and having the games postponed for a year.

"We went into the last Olympics with a less experienced team. It was the changing of the guard if you will, a lot of retirements after Rio and that was a time to bring some new athletes in and build again.

"We were never going to be as successful as we'd been in previous games. But the changes in coaching and management structure beforehand made it more challenging.

"This is a time where people at the top need to deliver more consistency and certainty around what's happening."

Thornley says she will remain an avid spectator and friend to those still competing.

"I'm still really emotionally invested in the success of the team going forward," she said. "I want to support them as much as I can.

"I want to see them be successful and I feel lucky to have left the sport and feel like that."

Thornley is now planning for what comes next after 11 years in the team that included competing at three Olympics as well as numerous European and World Championships, in all sizes of boats from the women's eight to the single sculls.

She has already ruled out making a future Helen Glover-esque return to the sport.

"That's not going to be for me," she joked. "You have to leave it at some point and this is definitely the right time.

"I haven't been back in a boat since the Tokyo final.

"I love to train, it's still definitely going to be part of my life, but I'm enjoying more running and getting back to horse riding."

Vicky Thornley was talking to BBC Radio Berkshire's Tim Dellor.