Team GB gold medallist cries after revealing how dad kept dream alive before dying

Team GB gold medallist Lola Anderson cried as she revealed how her late father kept her Olympics 2024 dream alive before he passed away. Anderson tasted glory in the women’s quadruple sculls alongside Lauren Henry, Hannah Scott and Georgie Brayshaw to clinch Great Britian’s sixth medal of the Games.

Great Britain appeared to be out of the contest as they trailed the Netherlands with 250 metres remaining.

But the stars dug deep to hunt down the Dutch team’s lead and snatch victory on the line following a photo finish.

The victory means Great Britain have won the women’s quadruple sculls for the first time in their history after landing three silvers in a row in 2000, 2004 and 2008.

Team GB were only able to finish seventh in Tokyo three years ago, with Scott the only survivor of that team.

And the four British stars were full of emotion as they were presented with their medals by the Princess Royal on the podium on the River Seine before singing the national anthem.

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Anderson was quizzed by the BBC in the aftermath of the enthralling race. And the 26-year-old broke down in tears as she explained: “It feels like it’s been ages working towards this. As a team we’re very process-driven and we’re always looking to what comes next.

“But when you get to the end of a cycle like this and it doesn’t get bigger than this, it’s really quite overwhelming to experience this. But we’re really grateful."

Anderson was then asked by presenter Matthew Pinsent about the time she wrote on a piece of paper at the age of 14 that she wanted this moment to come and replied: “[That was] 13 years ago. I’d forgotten about it but a couple of years ago my dad reminded me and I know that he would be so, so proud. I’m just thinking a lot about him right now and it’s really lovely.”

Anderson’s father Don passed away following a  long battle with cancer two months after she retrieved a note from his safety deposit box in October 2019.

“My name is Lola Anderson and I think it would be my biggest dream in life to go to the Olympics and represent Team GB in rowing and, if possible, win a gold medal,” read the note.

She later told The Guardian: “When I gave it back to him (the safety deposit box) he then gave something back to me, which was that diary page. He’d obviously been cleaning out my little waste paper basket, seen this diary in the bin and decided he was going to give it back to me one day when it meant something, either as a silly joke or something with real meaning.”