Katherine Grainger made history as she became Britain’s most successful female Olympian after claiming silver in the women’s double scull at Rio 2016.

The Marlow Rowing Club member clocked a time of 7.41.05 alongside Vicky Thornley to just fail to retain the title she won at London 2012.

They missed out on gold in agonising fashion as Poland moved away from them in the final 200 metres of the race.

Regardless, Grainger hailed the medal as the biggest achievement of her career after returning from a two-year sabbatical to make the Games.

She told the BBC: “I remember at the start of this campaign thinking if I could come out of this with any sort of medal it would probably be my greatest achievement because of where it started form.

“There were many, many dark days where I couldn’t see how this could happen, so to be standing here in the Rio sunshine with a medal around my neck soon has made it all worth it.”

It is the 40-year-old's fifth Olympic medal after she won silver in Sydney, Athens and Beijing and moves her ahead of Rebecca Adlington in terms of medals won.

Having started at a frightening pace, Grainger and Thornley were all but assured of a top three finish by the halfway marker.

They led for much of the race and, while Grainger was happy with the medal, she was still left to wonder what could have been.

Grainger said: “It is one of those races, at the start of the regatta you would have taken that with both hands. But because you led most of the way there is a little tinge of what might have been.

“Considering what we have been through over the last couple of years, I am so proud of what we have done. That is a medal that not many people would have put money on, so I am pleased.”

It has been a testing route to the Games for Grainger after she lost her seat in the double sculls boat in May and failed to make the women’s eight team.

She was excluded from the initial announcement of Team GB’s squad for the Games before the decision was made to hand her and Thornley spots on the team.

The duo have repaid the faith shown in by the late call-up in emphatic fashion with the stunning medal success.

The success comes a day after Team GB’s Joe Clarke won gold in the canoe slalom and Jack Laugher and Chris Mears did likewise in the diving.

Grainger all but confirmed she will be retiring from the sport as she signed of her interview with a promise when quizzed on Tokyo 2020.

She simply explained: “Mum and dad I promise I will never put you through this again.”