Getting into the GB rowing team is not easy and is not for the faint hearted. According to several websites, including the ‘irishtimes.com’, rowing is one of the ‘hardest sports in the world’ and is in the top five in the Olympics for difficulty.

Is all this training worth the medal at the end though? Endless hours in a boat in freezing temperatures, blisters all over your hands and waking up at 4am every day.

If you are 6ft or over and weigh over 80kg then you are considered an ‘ideal’ rower. The minimum requirements to get into the GB pathway are 5ft11 for woman and 6ft1 for men: anything below that, then you don’t have a chance.

I am also in the GB start programme for rowing and continuesly get measured for my height, weight and arms pan. If I don’t conform to their standards, then I could be dropped.

Jordan Parsons – a GB start athlete at Manchester start centre – has been part of the centre for over a year and studies at Manchester Metropolitan university, whilst training six days a week as well:

“I train 15-20 hours a week”.

“It has (been worth it), you just have to take all the small successes along the way as reassurance that what you are doing is working and it’s worth it”

The difference to the training that we do at the start programme compared to GB team level, is not that much different. With camps we must attend every four weeks, measured and tested continuesly on physical and mental ability – it is tough.

Alice Batts – who is on the U23 GB team – says that she trains 22 hours a week on a full programme; including weights, cross training, strength and conditioning and water sessions every day.

“There are some hard sessions, you’re tired a lot and if the weather is bad that can make a session quite miserable… but you know every minute will pay off in the long run”.

There are not many sports in the Olympics that compare to the amount of training rowers must do daily. Both athletes found it hard to compare their training to other sports.

Alice Batts: “We’re a power endurance sport. There aren’t many of these around and I can’t think of another similar sport – I asked a couple of the others too but they can’t either. it’s a pretty unique sport I suppose, I think for some that’s part of the appeal”.

Jordan Parsons: “I think the most similar sport in terms of training would be swimming, where the training is based around cardiovascular training and weights with multiple sessions a day”.

One of the hardest tests in rowing is a V02 max test. This test calculates an individual’s aerobic capacity by measuring the rate in which the body utilises oxygen during exercise. Every minute you are told to bring up the rate on the rowing machine and therefore, push harder. Which normally ends with athletes throwing up.

However, you must wear a mask that covers your mouth and nose, so it makes it ten times harder to breathe and push harder every minute that goes on.

Although all of this does sound daunting and hard work, most rowers enjoy their training and say that it is worth it in the end. This is one of the hardest sports in the world and is not easy, but I think that’s the appeal behind it and people want to challenge themselves.