Salford rowing sensation Zak Lee-Green is hoping to take on the best in the world at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games this summer – but first he has to overcome the best of British.
Competition for places in the GB Rowing Team is fierce this season, especially in the lightweight men’s section where Lee-Green is one of ten rowers challenging for just six seats.
He will have chance to stake his claim at the forthcoming Olympic Trials, taking place at the GB Rowing Team’s Caversham headquarters near Reading from March 21-23, but is under no illusion as to the scale of the task ahead.
“Selection is the toughest part,” said Zak, who turned 25 earlier this month.
“You not only have to beat the rowers in the rest of the world, you have to beat your own team-mates to begin with.
“Just being selected for the team is probably half the battle in getting to an Olympic final. There are only six places in the lightweight men’s squad for Rio and we have ten guys who are all good enough to get into the final.
“But this was in the back of my mind four years ago when I started on the Rio road.
“You just have to focus on the day-to-day – you know the training is going to make you better and hopefully, when it comes to selection, all that work will show in your performance.
“As individuals we have to try and outperform each other on a day-to-day basis but there is a real feeling of the whole team pushing each other forwards. We all have this one common goal of getting to the Olympics and being part of that is so special.”
Zak trains with Agecroft RC in Salford and is in his third full season with the GB senior squad having been a medallist at World U23 level.
He studied Dentistry at Manchester University, graduating in 2014, and works part-time in a practice near to the National Training Centre, treating several of his GB team-mates.
Lee-Green carried the Olympic Torch ahead of London 2012 but is desperate to be more directly involved in the Games this time round.
“It would mean everything to get to Rio,” he said. “People say you put your life on hold for the Olympics but this is my life.
“If you dedicate your life to something like getting to the Olympics you have to give it everything you’ve got and I have.”
