Great Britain need 'a change of mindset' heading into world championship final, says Hannah Scott
Olympic champion Hannah Scott says Great Britain need to be “more aggressive” from the start ahead of Saturday’s world championship final in the Netherlands.
Coleraine native Scott will be joined in the boat by Imogen Grant, Lola Anderson and fellow Northern Ireland rower Finnola Stratton in the women’s quadruple sculls final in Amsterdam.
The quartet know they will be in for a dogfight to get their hands on a coveted gold medal as they compete against hosts and reigning world champions the Netherlands, who they finished behind in Thursday’s semi-final.
Not only that, but the USA, Romania and Germany crews all rowed faster than GB in the other semi-final on Thursday.
Scott, who claimed gold at the same event in Belgrade back in 2023 and was runner-up last year to the Netherlands, knows how medals can be won and lost by how quickly they get out of the traps.
"I think we need to change our mindset going into our final," Scott told BBC Sport NI ahead of Saturday’s showdown at the Bosbaan in the Dutch capital.
"We've trained harder than that to show that we can be a bit more aggressive off our start, and show the training that we've put in.
"I've been in that race with them (the Netherlands) many, many times, and I'm a bit sick of it now.
"I would like to be in a position, like in Lucerne earlier in the season (in a World Cup event), where we lead out and are in control of it.
"They've now done their jump scare and we were in control of it, which I'm happy with.
"In a championship event you always have to rise to the occasion and rising through the rounds is sometimes the main thing.
"It's a final and I think there is more in the tank. I'm confident that we can bring another gear, so we'll see what happens."
The competition marks a first senior world championship appearance for Stratton after winning the world under-23s.
So, how is she feeling ahead of Saturday’s big final alongside her three team-mates?
"I'm really, really excited about the final," replied Stratton, whose mother hails from Cullybackey, but grew up near Bristol.
"It's been amazing to go straight from Under-23s last year to a senior World Championships this year.
"I don't think you really expect that when you're Under-23, and it's definitely been a step up, and I'm so excited."
Saturday’s final is scheduled to get under way at 11.39am (BST).
Meanwhile, in the same semi-final as Scott and Stratton was the Irish quad featuring 19-year-old Sophia Young of Methodist College Boat Club in Belfast.
The Irish crew finished strongly but were unable to overhaul Australia for third place and a spot in the A Final.
Their performance will nevertheless provide plenty of encouragement, with Young, Emily Hegarty, Alison Bergin and Izzy Clements only recently joining forces, with Amsterdam marking their first competitive race together.