IN the wake of intensive knee surgery, Abergavenny athlete Rhian Jinny-Jones demonstrated true sporting spirit and heroic endevour to bounce back an amazing 18 weeks later and win Gold in the recent Concept2 British Indoor Rowing Championships.
Rhian's achievement is all the more staggering when you realise that the first time she sat on a rower was only a mere nine months ago, and that she only had nine full weeks of full-fitness to train for the event following her operation.
21 -year-old Rhian who is the owner of the 'Seriously Fit Nutrition' shop in Cibi Walk and a former British squad gymnast competed in the event which was held in the National Arena in Birmingham on October 26.
The British Indoor Rowing Championship is the world's biggest indoor rowing race and the largest indoor sporting event in the UK, with over 3,000 competitors racing over the course of just one day.
It takes place in a high-octane environment with races going on throughout the day where competitors race up to 2,000m in the quickest possible time, and it provides a stage for indoor rowing enthusiasts to test themselves on a national level and assess their own performance and progress.
Rhian's won her race of 2,000 meteres by 13 seconds and 50 metres clear of her nearest rival, and as a consequence, Monmouth Rowing Club are now keen to get Rhian on the water
to see if she can produce some similar 'oar-some' performances.
Rhian's partner Paddy Maloney told the Chronicle, "Rhian is quite a shy person and not the sort to boast, but I think an achievment like this, especially when you consider the amount of surgery she had on her knees only a short time beforehand, deserves to be recognised.
"I just want Rhian to know that everyone is immensely proud of her, and her strength and determination are an inspiration. "