SAM Townsend revealed he has different feelings about being selected for this summer’s Olympics than he had before London 2012, writes Dave Wright.

The 30-year-old Reading University Boat Club member has been named in the Great Britain men’s quad, along with Maidenhead’s Peter Lambert, Leander Club’s Angus Groom and Graeme Thomas.

Ever since finishing fifth in 2012, the former Chiltern Edge School boy has set his sights on winning a medal in Rio.

With fierce competition for team places at GB’s Caversham headquarters, every rower knows they must maintain an extremely high level of performance, so there was a broad smile on Sam’s face when his seat on the plane to Brazil was confirmed last Thursday.

“There is a different feel compared to last time,” he admitted. “London was my first and obviously I was extremely excited. I am exited again this time, but I think there is more business about this one.

“We are desperate to win that first medal for the sculling team and we are very much about going there [to Rio] and try to deliver.”

Four years ago Townsend’s crew mates in the event held at Eton Dorney included fellow Reading UBC member Charles Cousin.

But there will be no second Olympics for Cousins due to injury with his seat being taken by Glaswegian Groom.

There was another change for the recent second World Cup meeting in Lucerne when Lambert was taken ill and replaced by Jack Beaumont.

Townsend said: “Pete was my room mate and he was pretty ill throughout Saturday night.

“Jack subbed in at the last minute, but we won silver and were pleased with that, as it is always a good feeling to be on the podium when you have had a last-minute change. That was a real credit to Jack and the rest of the boys for holding it together.”

With Lambert fully recovered, Townsend and Co are now preparing for the third and final World Cup meeting of the year in Poland next week.

“We want to leave Poznan with confidence going into the final training camp before Rio,” said Tokers Green resident Townsend.

“There is still a hell of a lot of work to be done and we need to make sure we put really good work into generate boat speed and not lose it.

“I am confident in the guys I am rowing with and our coach and the training programme Jurgen (head coach Grobler) sets, and then it is going to be down to us.”

Despite a hectic schedule of training and competing, Townsend still finds time to do some work with Reading University.

“I do the recruitment to try to get young junior scullers into the boat club, and also do a bit of coaching on a Wednesday afternoon.

“It has been a passion of mine to be involved in the uni boat club since I started rowing there in 2004.

“Will Rand, the director of rowing there, and Sean Casey, the head coach, are doing an incredible job there and I really enjoy trying to help out in any way that I can do.”