Graham Benton
Posted by Concept2 News on the 28th of March 2005
Indoor rowing British and World champion Graham Benton has been signed up for the World Class Start Programme � an Amateur Rowing Association initiative designed to find the Olympic champions of tomorrow.At the tender age of 31, Graham becomes the oldest person to be 'talent-spotted' for the programme, which to date has focussed on promising youngsters mainly under the age of 16.Despite that, the current World 30-39 champ thinks he's got lots to offer the sport. I'm certainly older than the majority of the other athletes, explained Graham. I don't feel any extra pressure because of that. I think that the fact I have been successful, albeit on land, is good preparation for the pressures and training volume that I am going to have to deal with. I do have additional life responsibilities that a 14 year old, for example, does not have but we're all working towards the same goal.I know that I have as good an engine as anyone else on the programme so I think that I am under no more pressure than anyone else.Graham will be learning to scull and improve his rowing at Reading University under the tutorage of coach Mark Earnshaw, but his 'dry rowing' programme will continue to be overseen by indoor rowing coaching guru Eddie Fletcher. Realistic goals are yet to be formalised, but as Graham added; Clearly time is of the essence and my coaches and the programme administrators will be looking for me to reach a high level of competence very quickly.And with water-born rowing now becoming the primary focus, does Graham still have any goals off the water?I still want to go sub 5:50 and will look to achieve that this year. I should have done it already by now but it has just not happened. My longer term goal is to go sub 5:46, which I believe would make me the second fastest Brit ever. I'd be very happy to achieve that and believe I have it in me. I don't think I will be competing in the regional indoor races now but I want to race at the British IRC again and will try to win the Open again. I would also like to retain my 30-39 World Title next year. And I'd like to beat my time for the mile - it's a distance that I really enjoy and one that I think I can really fly on.For more on Graham's adventures in a boat, you can check out his diary at http://www.therowingcompany.com/forum/weblog.php?w=6. You'll need to be logged into the message board to access it.