‘There’s been many many lows’: Somerset’s Becky Wilde rises to Olympic success
Somerset rower Becky Wilde has gone from major surgery to an Olympic bronze medal.
Becky Wilde learnt to row at the University of Bath and grew up in Taunton, Somerset.
Before that she had spent 10 years swimming at an international level, representing Wales.
Her first memory of rowing was watching Helen Glover and Heather Stanning at the 2012 London Olympics.
That memory stuck with her and she decided she would try rowing as a "backup plan" once she was done with swimming.
She eventually switched sports in 2017 whilst at Bath University.
Now seven years later, and through many challenges, she’s come away from Paris with a bronze medal in the women’s double sculls.
Speaking to ITV News after winning the medal, Wilde said: “It’s just been a surreal 24 hours. It’s slowly sinking in.
“I’m still full of shock and pride and relief, loads of emotions.
“It’s what dreams are made of. I can’t believe we did it.”
She even admitted she’d gone to sleep with the medal on her bed because she doesn’t want it to leave her side.
Wilde revealed she remains relatively in the dark during the race, taking instructions from her partner Mathilda Hodgkins Byrne.
“I never really know where we are. I’m going off what Mathilda is saying, she knew where we were and I had full confidence that she’d make the right calls.
“I knew it was going to be close between fourth and bronze. I didn’t quite believe it when I saw it come up on the scoreboard, it was just pure relief.”
It hasn’t been a straightforward journey for Wilde though.
Wilde said: “There’s been many many lows, I’ve had so many injuries. Hip surgery at 21 on both hips, multiple broken ribs, and then forearm surgery in September.
“To have done this now, I’m just so relieved and all the hard work was worth it.
“So many people have picked me up from rock bottom so many times, I’m just so glad they got to share this moment with me.”
Wilde said friends and family came out to support her and there’s been lots of messages from people back in Taunton.
“It makes it a lot easier knowing you’ve got so much support behind you.”
Wilde thanks her partner too - Mathilda Hodgkins Byrne.
“I’ve been so lucky to be in a boat with her, from the moment we first sat in it we knew it was something special.
“We knew we were capable of a medal, I don’t think many other people thought that.”
Hodgkins Byrne was one of the first people to go through the rowing programme at Hartpury College in Gloucestershire.
She said: “It’s been a completely mad but great season, and to finish with a medal is incredible.”
Despite the bronze medal, Hodgkins Byrne did admit that it wasn’t their strongest race.
“Yesterday was probably our worst 2k and overall race from the games. But the aim of the training camp leading into this was making sure whatever our worst was, it was going to be good enough on the day.
“Yes it’s not got us a gold or silver but it’s got us a bronze medal and I think that shows how much work we put into training.”
Looking ahead to the 2028 Olympics in LA, the duo are hopefully for a medal upgrade.
Wilde said: “I was always going to continue, but yesterday made me want it even more. I would love to be in LA and upgrade a bronze.”
Hodgkins Byrne said: “I would love to be back in this boat with Becky for LA.”