A WELCOME sight is set to return to the river in Marlow after one of the town’s most prized Olympians vowed to get back in the boat after a two year absence.

Marlow Rowing Club member Katherine Grainger revealed this week she is back in training and admits her sights are on Rio 2016 after a break from the water following her triumph at London two years ago.

A long-term member of the riverside club, her teammates and colleagues say they are thrilled with her decision to continue.

And deputy chairman John Yeatman said her commitment to the sport will rub off on younger members striving for some of the success enjoyed by the gold medal winning champ.

He said: "We’re delighted for her, we found out along with everyone else this week.

"There’s no plans as yet, but I’m sure we’ll see her down her sometime soon and hopefully at the club supper in November.

"It’ll certainly spur on some our younger members, we have a very enthusiastic junior girls squad who will no doubt be inspired by her decision to continue."

A town institution, Marlow Rowing Club has produced some of the finest champions in the sport, including Sir Steve Redgrave, Zak Purchase, Naomi Riches and Greg Searle.

Grainger revealed earlier this week she is back in training, saying she missed the people and places that formed so much of her sporting life.

She said: “She said: "I’ve missed the people and the environment and the training regime. At the moment it’s still novel but I know I’ve got to grind my way back up a very steep mountain and of course I think, am I absolutely insane?

"All the rational arguments say don’t come back, yet here I am.

"I’m not making any promises to anyone. If it all goes well then the end goal would be the Olympics. But I just need to take one day at a time, one week at a time, one month at a time. Then I’ll start thinking longer term.”

Grainger will do most of her training with British Rowing in Caversham, but Marlow rowers hope to see her out on familiar waters again soon.

The news comes as the club’s new headquarters is set to open in the next two months after the old clubhouse burned down in 2011.

A £1million grant from Sport England helped members on their way to building a state-of-the-art watersports hub, which will be used by a plethora of clubs and organisations.

It will also act as a national centre for para-rowing after recently being recognised by British Rowing, with the club hoping to build on its Paralympic success after member Naomi Riches took gold at London 2012.