Nanny duties to elite athlete - Shorten on her rapid rise through rowing ranks

As a full-time rower, Shorten's typical day consists of three separate training sessions, on the water and in the gym, and then rest and recovery to ensure she is in peak physical and mental condition over the course of the season.

If training is relentless, recovery is essential.

But for an individual who 14 months ago was a club rower holding down two full-time jobs as a nanny and shop worker before joining the British Rowing ranks in April 2017, the idea of actually setting aside time to do nothing was something of a novelty.

"Previously I was so used to working and fitting training around my jobs and everything else, it was a case of 'what am I going to do with any free time now?" said Belfast-born Shorten.

"The difference in my lifestyle from then and now is huge. It's about my rowing, but it's also about making sure I'm eating the right things, doing the right recovery. I was constantly doing things before but rest is just as important."

Rowing has long been a part of Shorten's life, taking up the sport while at school at Methodist College Belfast and going on to represent Rowing Ireland at the Coupe de la Jeunesse in 2011, where she won bronze.

Gold followed as part of the women's eight at the British Rowing Championships in 2015 but it wasn't until 2017 that she made her first international outing with the GB Rowing Team senior squad.

Before the pre-trials training camp in March last year, the 24-year-old university graduate could only fit in one early morning training session each day while juggling two full-time jobs and rowing for Imperial College Boat Club. To say the step up was a big one would be an understatement.

She added: "Oh my word, there was a difference in the volume of training, I remember being at camp in 2017 and saying how hard I was found it. They responded with 'oh dear, this is just a tapering camp.'

"But everyone was really good with me and helping me to cope. I'd gone from doing 18km previously to a 20km paddle, 18km ergo session and then weights on top of that.

"The tiredness from all the training is something I had to get used to. It was a case of getting my head down and surviving."

Survive she did, switching shop work and nannying for then 11-year-old Thomas – she is still in contact with the family who message her congratulating her on her results – for silver and bronze World Cup medals and a fifth place in the eight at the World Rowing Championships in September.

Another hard winter of training has followed and Tuesday saw Shorten named in the 54-strong Great Britain team for the first World Rowing Cup regatta of the 2018 season, held in Belgrade from June 1-3.

It has been a journey of sharp progress and learning so far but she is determined to keep taking it all in her stride.

"As I've been getting used to all the training, I've been laying down more and more PBs in training. I know it will start to plateau out a bit," she added.

"But I remember coming back from cycling camp late last year and then having the final trials in December, and feeling like that was the moment where it clicked.

"I've learnt a lot from different people around me, the likes of Karen Bennett, she is obviously an Olympic silver medallist and has so much experience.

"I want to go out and medal this season. We are doubling up so it will be plenty of work but I want to be in a fast boat and getting a gold medal. The Olympics are two years away and that's where I want to be."

Sportsbeat 2018