Lutterworth rower sets his sights on an illustrious European and World double ahead of this weekend's World Championships

David Bewicke-Copley brought gold home from his senior championship debut in Munich last month and now wants to repeat the feat at the year’s main event in Racice
David Bewicke-CopleyDavid Bewicke-Copley
David Bewicke-Copley

A potent combination of youth and experience can power Britain’s men’s eight to an illustrious European and World double, according to Lutterworth rower David Bewicke-Copley.

The 24-year-old brought gold home from his senior championship debut in Munich last month and attentions have now turned to repeating the feat at the year’s main event in Racice, which gets underway on September 18.

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The men’s eight crew heading to the Czech Republic contains just three of the squad who earned Olympic bronze last summer, with Leicestershire’s Bewicke-Copley among the fresh faces to have brought a new lease of life to the boat.

“We have a really positive mix at the moment,” he said. “We have a lot of people who came out of the last cycle with a real hunger to set right what they weren’t happy with and they’ve been leading the group really well.

“Their hunger along with the enthusiasm of us younger guys, who are looking to make an immediate impression, is a great blend.

“The whole team has a really positive dynamic at the moment. The older guys know what it takes to make the top level and are really keen to instil that in us.”

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Bewicke-Copley has recently returned from his first trip to a notorious training camp in Silvretta, which has been pushing future Olympic champions to their limits for the best part of three decades.

He is acutely aware of Britain’s illustrious recent history in the men’s eight, with a podium place achieved at each of the last four Olympics, and they head to this World Championships looking to better the bronze medals won in 2018 and 2019.

“Going to a Worlds has been a dream of mine for a very long time,” he added. “Watching the videos of the crews going out to Worlds when I started in 2012, 2013, those guys were people I really looked up to.

“It’s cool to be following in their footsteps now and I’m really looking forward to it, it will be a great experience.

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“I was stretched to my limit in Silvretta but I feel the benefit now. We’ve done most of the hard miles so it’s just trying to tune everything up and be ready for the final big performance.

“We want to put out our best race and hopefully that will be enough.”

British Rowing is responsible for the development of rowing in England and the training and selection of rowers to represent Great Britain. The GB Rowing Team is supported by the National Lottery Sports Fund. To find out more, and to follow the ongoing World Championships in Racice, head to https://www.britishrowing.org/