Team GB's Durant and Swann claim silver medals in Poznan

Durant, a former Lancaster Royal Grammar School pupil, was part of the men’s eight team that finished a close second to Germany, while Lancaster-born Swann’s womens eights were also second in their final, losing out to New Zealand.

Great Britain blasted out of the blocks in the final of the men’s eight final. Scott Durant, Tom Ransley, Andrew T Hodge, Matt Gotrel, Pete Reed, Paul Bennett, Matt Langridge, Will Satch and cox Phelan Hill putting themselves in a place to contend for the podium.

GB led by at the 500m mark but were behind by a whisker at halfway.

The green of the German hull seemed locked in the same line as the yellow of the GB boat as the two crews powered towards the finish a way out from the rest of the field.

However, the stroke by stroke battle saw Germany edge ahead right at the death to take gold with GB second and New Zealand third.

In the women’s eight’s final, with 500m to go New Zealand were holding onto a lead that they had built throughout the first half. GB produced the overlap but they could not make up enough ground and took silver in 6:08.25 to NZ’s 6:08. 25. The Netherlands were third.

Speaking afterwards, Polly said: “Today was really tough and we had a lot to deal with in the last few weeks, so there is a degree of fatigue. However, now is the time to bed in all the good work done so far and build on it.

“We have the best possible support from James Harris and Paul Thompson to do that and stroke by stroke and day by day we will use this as a springboard and build towards Rio through the training camps”.