UK news 22/9/12

Back to barracks for Olympic gold rower Heather Stanning

Olympic gold medal winner Heather Stanning was back in uniform at her Army barracks yesterday and couldn't wait to get back into her old routine.

Heather Stanning Photo: DAVID HARTLEY
1:35PM BST 21 Sep 2012
Olympic gold medal winner Heather Stanning was back in uniform at her Army barracks yesterday (Fri) - and couldn't wait to get back into her old routine.
Rower Heather, 27, was away from her position with the 32 Regiment Royal Artillery for two years to focus on gruelling training for her Olympics bid.
She has now completed her first week back at her Army base in Larkhill, Wilts., and took part in a special ceremony with her proud colleagues there yesterday.
Stanning, who won the first gold of the London 2012 Games with teammate Helen Glover, is now aiming for Rio 2014 - but says she had to "prove herself" worthy of a place there.
Heather Stanning wins gold at the Olympics
She said: "It is really good to be back here, I am really fortunate that I am able to come back to a working regiment.
"A lot has changed here. The regiment physically looks very different. I have missed working with the other soldiers and the camaraderie there is with the team here.
"I have also missed the day to day life of getting on with things. In terms of rowing, I am now back to work but I am going to stay fit.
"I want to do trials for Rio in 2014. It think it is important that I do other things as well as rowing, my fitness has been very specific over the last few years.
"It will be good to do other things like weight bearing exercises. Running while wearing kit on your back is very different from rowing.
"I would love to go to Rio but that is not a given because I have to earn my seat. I have to prove myself."

Stanning, who was born in Yeovil, Somerset, is due to complete a tour of Afghanistan next year.
She said: "The plan is to do a tour of Afghanistan next year. It is really important for my career that I have the experience but we are still working out the finer details.
"I really enjoy my job but perhaps the one thing I haven't missed is the paperwork. It is just so nice to have a sense of normality now.
"This is what I was doing before and life does move on but it is still all there."

Er Brisky Anderson
www.aisikitesi.com


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