Olympic gold medallist Heather Stanning has taken half in a medals parade in Hampshire after ending a six-month army tour of Afghanistan.
The 28-year-old military officer acquired her Afghanistan Operational Service Medal, together with different colleagues from 21 Battery, 47 Regiment Royal Artillery.
She skilled on rowing machines to maintain in form whereas working at Camp Bastion.
Capt Stanning is now getting ready for the Group GB rowing trials later this month as she goals to compete in Rio.
She and Helen Glover made historical past once they turned the primary British feminine rowers to win an Olympic gold medal.
Capt Stanning joined her Royal Artillery Regiment colleagues at a homecoming parade at Thorney Island close to Emsworth, Hampshire.
Describing coaching within the Afghan desert, she mentioned: “It was fairly sizzling and dusty, and when the sand storms got here up you could possibly actually really feel the mud in your lungs. It was difficult.
“I used to be primarily based in Camp Bastion, and there are just a few good gyms there so I had the equipment to maintain match.
“I’ve spent an terrible lot of time on the rowing machine within the final six months and I am wanting ahead to getting again on the water.”
Capt Stanning is a battery operations officer, planning and managing the sorties and tasking of the Army’s unmanned plane, which offer intelligence for British and Afghan troops on the bottom.
She mentioned utilizing rowing machines had saved her match however she was not but prepared for worldwide competitors.
Nevertheless, the athlete believes specializing in one thing completely different was good for her general well-being.
“I believe it is wholesome for the physique and thoughts to have a break,” she mentioned.
Capt Stanning – who has been again within the UK for somewhat over every week – has nonetheless not been again in a ship.
“The plan is to get again to being a full-time athlete by the top of the 12 months,” she mentioned.
Requested if she missed the water when she was in Helmand Province, she mentioned: “I did. I do not know after I final noticed an unlimited expanse of water.”
Following her triumph within the coxless pairs – successful Group GB’s first gold medal of London 2012 – Capt Stanning returned to her profession with the Royal Artillery.
After intensive pre-deployment coaching and specialist coaching working with the Royal Artillery’s unmanned air programs she deployed to Afghanistan in April.
She mentioned: “It is good to be again. I believe it was fairly profitable for us.
“There’s a number of change in the mean time, so every little thing’s fairly unusual however every little thing went to plan for our battery.”
Capt Stanning was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 2008 and took a two-year profession break to coach for the London Olympics.
Chief of the Common Employees Common Sir Peter Wall mentioned: “The Army is about individuals who work onerous and play onerous. Heather Stanning is the last word instance: Olympic gold final 12 months; on the entrance line this 12 months. Wonderful.”
Earlier this 12 months Capt Stanning, Ms Glover and their coach, Robin Williams, had been offered with MBEs by the Queen in recognition of their Olympic success.
supply
