Back to the day job: Olympic gold medallist Heather Stanning swaps rower's outfit for Army uniform... but her sights are already firmly set on Rio 2016

• Heather Stanning won Britain's first gold medal, alongside teammate Helen Glover in the women's coxless pair rowing
• She is back at work as a Captain for the 32 Regiment Royal Artillery after two years leave to focus on her Olympic bid
• Stanning is set to go on tour to Afghanistan next year
• She also plans to do the trials for Rio 2016

By ALEX WARD

Olympic gold medal rower Heather Stanning was back in her army uniform but she is already thinking about Rio 2016.

Rower Stanning, 27, has now completed her first week back as a Captain at the army base in Larkhill, Wiltshire after she took two years leave to focus on her Olympics bid.

She won the first gold of the London 2012 Games with teammate Helen Glover in the women’s coxless pair and is now aiming for Rio 2016 but feels she will have to ‘prove herself’.

Back on base: Gold medallist Heather Stanning went back to work this week as a Captain in the 32 Regiment Royal Artillery after taking two years leave to focus on her Olympics bid

She said: ‘It is really good to be back here, I am really fortunate that I am able to come back to a working regiment.

‘A lot has changed here. The regiment physically looks very different. I have missed working with the other soldiers and the camaraderie there is with the team here.’

'Good to be back': Stanning feels fortunate to be able to come back to a working regiment

First gold: Stanning, along with teammate Helen Glover (left), became the first Brits to win Olympic gold

She took part in a special ceremony with her proud colleagues yesterday where she was happy to be back in her position in the 32 Regiment Royal Artillery.

Stanning said: ‘I have also missed the day-to-day life of getting on with things. 

‘In terms of rowing, I am now back to work but I am going to stay fit.

‘I want to do trials for Rio in 2016. I think it is important that I do other things as well as rowing, my fitness has been very specific over the last few years.

Missed it: Stanning, centre, took part in a special ceremony on Friday with her colleagues who she missed working with because of the camaraderie

Stay fit: Stanning had a tough exercise regiment in the lead up to her Olympic win, left, but she intends to keep fit. 'Running while wearing kit on your back is very different from rowing,' she said

Afghanistan bound: Stanning, centre, is due to go on tour in Afghanistan next year which she says will be important for her career

‘It will be good to do other things like weight bearing exercises. Running while wearing kit on your back is very different from rowing.

‘I would love to go to Rio but that is not a given because I have to earn my seat. I have to prove myself.’

Stanning, who was born in Yeovil, Somerset, is due to complete a tour of Afghanistan next year.

She said: ‘The plan is to do a tour of Afghanistan next year. It is really important for my career that I have the experience but we are still working out the finer details.

‘I really enjoy my job but perhaps the one thing I haven’t missed is the paperwork. It is just so nice to have a sense of normality now.

‘This is what I was doing before and life does move on but it is still all there.’

Made history: The rowing pair made history by becoming the first British women to win an Olympic rowing gold medal when they beat Australia by about a length in the final of the women's coxless pair

She was cheered on by her regiment at Roberts Barracks in Wiltshire and the troops in Afghanistan as she became Britain’s first gold medallist with Glover on the fifth day of London 2012.

They made history by becoming the first British women to win an Olympic rowing gold medal when they beat Australia by about a length.

Stanning said at the time: ‘I am just really shattered and absolutely ecstatic all at the same time. I just want to jump around. I could hear Helen beside me saying, “Go on, keep going. They’re just behind us”.’ 

Stanning and Glover, a PE teacher, were both spotted by the same coach, Paul Stannard, three years apart and were paired up just three years ago.

Stanning’s father Tim is a retired Navy lieutenant commander and her two brothers have both been on tours in Afghanistan.

Winning pair: Glover and Stanning were both spotted by the same coach, Paul Stannard, three years apart, and were paired up just three years ago before their Olympic victory