Cumbrian Rower in 2012 Squad

9th October 2007

A WEST Cumbrian man has rowed his way into the Great Britain development squad for the 2012 Olympics despite never rowing on water.

Richie Steele, 21, of Mealsgate, was one of 30 selected by Team GB to be part of their development squad after a nationwide search short-listed 2,500 people for the programme. This achievement is made even more phenomenal as Steele had never rowed before and during his last karting season, an accident left him with a broken back. He recovered fully from his injury to finish the season and now finds himself in the final 30 to represent Team GB. Steele, a transmission techician with rally business M-Sport, said: “I am really chuffed to have made it this far and I am looking forward to the challenge ahead.It is a great opportunity for me and I will give it my best. Last year I had an accident in my kart and I broke my back. It took three months to get myself back and I finished the season. The criteria for the position with Team GB was tough. Men had to be aged 21-25 and must be over six feet three in height. They also had to demonstrate a background of a sporting nature, but not necessarily in rowing. Steele was invited to Gateshead stadium as part of the Sporting Giants programme that aims to identify and develop new talent for the sports of volleyball, handball and rowing in time for the London 2012 Games and beyond. Sporting Giants have already developed world level medallists. Steele said: “I was delighted when I found out I’m in the squad. “I will now be training hard and I am learning the basics of rowing on the water with Nick Collin, who is a local rower.” John Steele, Richie’s dad, said: “Richie was in the top eight per cent of the events he was set. “He has done fantastically well and now we have in writing from the Olympic Committee that Richie has been accepted on to the programme. I am very proud of him.” Barry Johnson, Steele’s coach said: “I have been coaching Richie since he was 17 and he has always been a fantastic athlete. “He grew too tall to continue racing karts, but he made it to a good national level. So we had to find another sport for him to concentrate on.” After trying his hand at triathlon, Richie found an advert on the internet about rowing for Team GB in the 2012 Olympics and applied. Johnson said: “Richie came to me with this poster and we devised a training plan that would suit rowing. Richie was doing 90 miles a week on the rowing machines and worked exceptionally hard. He deserves his success.”