Karen Bennett rejects desk job to continue Olympic quest

A few days in a desk job were enough to drive Karen Bennett back into training for the Olympics. The Edinburgh rower stepped away from the sport last summer to spend time with family and signed up for work experience in a sales role. Ad It's fair to say it didn't float the boat of the two-time Olympian.

RowingNew rowing star Henry having to grow up quickly after GB selection37 MINUTES AGO «I was just turning up and thinking, 'this is it now, for the rest of my life?'» said the 2016 Olympic silver medallist. «If I hadn't come back to the sport and answered the question, right now I'd probably be in my sales job thinking 'what if' and mentally tripping myself up. »You've only got one life, so I might as well give it a shot." That carpe diem mentality is far from a throwaway line — it has taken Bennett a lot of pain, patience and practice to get to that point.

The 34-year-old's world was turned upside down when her father, Davie, passed away just eight weeks before the Tokyo Olympics. Family tragedy has sharpened Bennett's focus on health and wellbeing to such an extent that she has started a personal training business and it played a part in her decision to return to rowing. «You want to live life to the fullest and that's what I'm trying to do,» she said.

«I'm trying to make my family proud and get the family name out there, as well.» Eighteen months later the weight of grief still lays heavy — too heavy for Bennett to take with her into the boat. «It's tricky because when I think about it, I get really emotional,» she said. «If I think about him on the start line, I'd be in a hysterical state.