KATHERINE Grainger is just days away from her first competitive race since winning gold at London 2012.

She will compete at the GB Rowing Team Assessment in Boston this weekend determined to reclaim her place as the undisputed queen of British rowing.

The 39-year-old won Olympic gold in London after silver in the three previous Olympics, and then spent two years contemplating retirement.

But she returned to training in September and on Saturday will race agaisnt the clock on a rowing machine before a 5km time trial on Sunday.

She said: “I came back feeling that if it all went right the 2016 Rio Olympic Games was always the goal. There’s no reason why I shouldn’t be hitting the peaks that I have hit before.”

Meanwhile, GB women coach Paul Thompson said: “Katherine has been training hard since her return.

"This will be a good test to measure her progress and complete the first part of the selection process for the 2015 season.”