St Weonards’ Mathilda Hodgkins Byrne and her double sculls partner Welsh rower Rebecca Wilde  have claimed a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics this morning.

Team GB were in a silver-medal place for much of the final 500 metres but they were beaten to silver by Romania, with Brook Francis and Lucy Spoors of New Zealand taking gold in a gripping race.

The British duo took an early lead at the 500m mark but were overtaken by Romania halfway through the race. New Zealand then moved into the lead, but Hodgkins-Byrne and Wilde successfully held off a late challenge from the Netherlands to secure the third-place finish. 

Mathilda began rowing at Hereford as a young teenager and has trained at Monmouth RC and Monmouth School in the past.

Hodgkins-Byrne's achievement comes after a break from the sport following the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, during which she became a mother. Wilde also overcame significant challenges, having undergone surgery on her forearms just ten months ago. 

The Reading University chemistry graduate won a gold in the double at the 2016 World Rowing U23 Championships, followed by a bronze at the 2017 World Rowing Championships in Sarasota, Florida, as part of the quadruple scull.

Other successes include winning the Wingfield Sculls twice - the Amateur Championship of the Thames - in 2015 and 2020, plus a European silver in the quads in Italy in 2021.

Paris marks her second Olympic appearance  and made her only the second mum to row for GB at the Olympics after two-time gold medallist Helen Glover, after she gave birth to son Freddie in 2022.

This bronze medal marks a significant moment for both athletes and contributes to Team GB's record-breaking start at the Games. Hodgkins-Byrne's local connection adds to the community's pride in her accomplishment.