ROWING star Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne is aiming to become the fourth Wye rower to climb onto the Olympic podium, as she becomes only the second mum after Olympic gold medal team-mate Helen Glover to represent GB at the Games regatta.

The St Weonards oarswoman, who raced with sister Charlotte in the GB women's quadruple scull in Tokyo three years ago, now has a two-year-old son Freddie, who will be lakeside in Paris to watch her race.

Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne, left, with Beccy Wilde at Kew Gardens after being selected for the Paris Olympics
Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne, left, with Becky Wilde at Kew Gardens after being selected for the Paris Olympics. Photo: British Rowing/Benedict Tufnell (British Rowing/Benedict Tufnell)

And Mathilda, 29, who grabbed the last Olympic qualifying slot at May's 'Regatta of Death' in Switzerland with Welsh double sculls partner Becky Wilde, will be hoping to successfully follow in the blade puddles of Old Monmothians Charlie Wiggin (bronze men's pair Moscow 1980), Colin Moynihan (silver men's eight Moscow 1980) and Tom Lucy (silver men's eight Beijing 2008).

To make the GB team is a remarkable achivement in itself, fighting her way back into the national squad and the double scull after having to race independently in a single in 2023.

"My identity is being a mum, but it's also an athlete," said Mathilda, who has trained at Monmouth RC and Monmouth School in the past when home, having launched her career as a teenager upriver at Hereford RC.

Mathilda, right, and Becky, left, are on their way to Paris
Mathilda, right, and Becky, left, are on their way to Paris (British Rowing/World Rowing)

And welcoming a new supportive British Rowing policy on maternity, she said: "I'm definitely a better mum for rowing, and a much better athlete because of Freddie.

"Freddie has come on all three training camps with me, and there's some flexibility now with childcare.

Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne receives her trophy with son Freddie
Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne with son Freddie after winning the top women’s singles event at London’s 2023 Metropolitan Regatta (Metropolitan Regatta)

"It's a huge step. If this keeps more girls in rowing and encourages more to stay in the sport, that's literally all I wanted from this journey."

The Paris 2024 double scull heats are on Saturday (July 27, 11am), the repechage on Sunday (July 28, 9.10am), the semis on Tuesday (July 30, 9.50am) and the final on Thursday (August 1, 9.30am).