GB rowers' mentality shift led to 'winning formula'

Tom George (left) and Ollie Wynne-Griffith paired up after studying at Cambridge University together

Rower Tom George said a mentality shift has helped him and Team GB men's pair partner Ollie Wynne-Griffith "find a winning formula" going into the Paris Olympics.

George, 29, was part of the men's eight team that won bronze at the Tokyo Games in 2021 before switching to the pair and partnering Wynne-Griffith.

The duo are unbeaten this season and head into Paris as one of the favourites for gold.

"We're just seeing the consistency of what we've done coming together," George told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

"We've been working with [Team GB rowing's technical efficiency specialist coach] Christian Felkel who's a really successful coach and he's got such a depth of knowledge within the boat class that we've been able to find a winning formula.

"There was one thing he said to us in our second meeting: 'No doubt you guys are really fast - you want to compare yourself to the top boats'.

"And he said: 'Think about the Kiwis who set the world record in the London Olympics, they set the world record in the heat. That's got to be your mentality'."

George and Wynne-Griffith were crowned European champions earlier this season and have won six World Cup rounds since first teaming up three years ago.

Still, George - from Cheltenham - said their pairing was "a bit random" despite knowing each other since they were teenagers having gone to school together.

The duo were both studying at Cambridge University and competing in the Boat Race when a coach suggested they join up.

"Rob [Baker], the coach there, was very much the architect and pushed this idea - he presented us all this data we had from how we were rowing the boat," George said.

"I think it was about four weeks into being at Cambridge as well so it was pretty early on - he was like: 'You guys don't really know me but trust me... I think this pair will be really special'.

"We're not there yet but we've put ourselves in a really good spot to be a pretty successful pair hopefully."

Tom George (right) and Ollie Wynne-Griffith are unbeaten this year in the men's pair

George is the current holder of the British 2km indoor rowing record, which he set during the first Covid-19 lockdown in early 2020 in his parents' garage.

His time of five minutes 39.6 seconds made him the first British rower to dip under the 5.40 time barrier.

He also held the world 5km indoor rowing record until very recently when it was bettered by 0.1 seconds.

Physically, George says he has always been suited for rowing, but where the pair have made gains this year is through their understanding of their boat.

"We're very fortunate to be very physiologically talented as a pair, with very strong, big engines - when we first got into the pair we relied on that a lot," George added.

"The thing we've really turned around this year is how we work with the boat, you do have to sort of be at one with the boat.

"It's moving with the boat in harmony. That's something that Christian has really imparted on us and got us to understand better.

"We maybe thought we understood it pretty well but were on a steep learning curve - we started to really understand that well this season and be able to push forward."