Wells faces stern test of his ability

Beijing bronze medallist Matt Wells heads into his final Olympics unsure of his prospects after his own abilities forced the hand of the British coaches.

For more than a decade the Bradford-born rower has blazed a trail in the double sculls, attending three Olympic Games and winning numerous international medals, including the career-defining bronze four years ago.

But just four months out from his Olympic swansong in London, Wells saw his chances of going two better this summer in his favoured boat ended by an unexplained coaching decision.

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After setting the second fastest time by a single sculler in the British trials in March, Wells was told by Great Britain rowing coach Jurgen Grobler that he would spend the rest of the year racing in the quadruple sculls.

“It’s been a different season to say the least,” said the 33-year-old.

“After 12 years in the double getting moved into the quad came as a surprise and it’s been quite a learning curve.

“It was Jurgen’s decision and I’ve had to get get used to it.

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“When you know what you’re going to be doing for a long period of time then you get comfortable.

“So when all of a sudden you get changed, and not as a result of performance, because all of my results had been good, collectively and individually, then it comes as a bit of a surprise.”

Wells had to accept the change without reproach.

German-born Grobler has for two decades been the driving force behind one of Britain’s most successful Olympic squads.

And as Wells has discovered, although Grobler does not rule with an iron fist, when a decision is made, that is the end of it.

“There’s no arguing with him,” said Wells.

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“He’s got his ideas and sometimes his explanations don’t quite come through.

“The guys Jurgen has put into the quad have not beaten me this year. Maybe he thinks I can improve the standard of the boat.

“If you look at every single Olympics, the boats we have had at the Games have never been the same as the boats we have had in the year before.

“It’s never straightforward. So in some ways you shouldn’t be surprised.

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“It’s not easy for Jurgen. We have to remember that he has looked at every boat and every rower and tried to determine how he can get the best out of each.

“It’s a little bit of the unknown for me. As a quad we don’t know where we are at the moment.”

Alongside Marcus Bateman in the double sculls, Wells won two World Cup regattas in 2010 and a silver medal at the World Championships.

Their 2011 programme was disrupted by an illness to Bateman but the two came into Olympic year confident they could make the required improvements to challenge for gold.

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Now, though, the pair find themselves in the quad sculls, alongside Stephen Rowbotham – Wells’s Beijing partner – and Charles Cousins.

Their first race was the Belgrade World Cup regatta earlier this month when they missed out on the ‘A’ final and finished seventh.

Next week they head to Lucerne for the penultimate World Cup meet.

“In Belgrade we set the quickest time by a British quad sculls team in history (5min 39 secs),” said Wells.

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“But unfortunately that wasn’t enough to get us into the top six. That time, though, does show that we have it in us.

“The change has not been too disruptive. The guys I’m rowing with I’ve rowed with before.

“You just have to get used to a different coach. It’s almost like you’re starting again.

“I’ve moved from the bow seat to the stern, so I’m a little more in control, and that’s a position I’m confident in, so that’s a positive.”

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Wells, who was raised in Hexham, Northumberland, is to retire after the Games and is hosting a regatta on the River Tyne in Hexham, on August 18 from 11am-5pm, which will see around a dozen of his GB Olympic team-mates in action.

“If I don’t win gold at London then I’ll be disappointed, but if I’ve rowed to the best of my abilities then I’ll be able to look back on my career with pride.”