Searle takes small step in road to Olympic comeback

BRITISH veteran Greg Searle took another step towards his goal of competing at London 2012, winning the single sculls B final at the GB Rowing Team winter assessment at Dorney Lake.

SMOOTH PROGRESS: Veteran British rower Greg Searle continued his comeback with victory in the B final of the single sculls event at GB Rowing's winter assessment (Getty Images)

The 37-year old won coxed pair gold with brother Jonny at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, as well as coxless four bronze four years later, and was inspired to come out of retirement after watching last year's World Championships in Poland.

And after poor weather had led to the cancelation of GB Rowing's previous assessments, Searle seized his chance to impress, losing out to Matt Wells in his semi final before holding off Brendan Crean to win the B final.

And having only returned to full time training in January, Searle admitted he was pleased with his progress

""I've won an Olympic bronze medal and been gutted, then had races like today and been happy," he told BBC Sport.

"I'm winning races against the high-potential athletes, which is where I am at the moment.

"It's not going to happen overnight; it's going to take months of hard work because the standard is high and these guys are good.

"Hopefully I can move on by the next trials in April, where it will be a big result to make the final."

Searle has headed to a squad training camp in Portugal this week but will return to colder climes to prepare for the GB Rowing Team Senior Trials in Hazewinkel, Belgium on April 11th and 12th.

World silver medallists Alan Campbell and Katherine Grainger ran out eventual winners of the A finals in the single sculls while world coxless pair silver medallists Andy Hodge and Pete Reed also triumphed

Meanwhile, Andrea Dennis stormed to gold in the lightweight women's single sculls with Olympic gold medallist Zac Purchase successful in his first race back after missing last season through illness.