We love Lucy!

10:00am Wednesday 20th August 2008

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MONMOUTH’S Tom Lucy has become one of Wales’ youngest ever Olympic medallists, claiming silver with the Great Britain men’s eight crew on Sunday.

The former Monmouth School pupil is still only 20, yet was in contention for gold going into the final race at Shunyi Rowing Park on the outskirts of Beijing. The Lucy family, from Llangovan, were course-side in China as Team GB finished just one second behind World Champions Canada.

"I was shaking with emotion when they crossed the line, but I'm absolutely ecstatic", said Tom’s mum Trish, jumping on her feet and roaring her son over the line from the grandstand.

"I'm so, so proud of him. He's an Olympic silver medallist at just 20 years of age. That's absolutely amazing.”

Tom's brother Edward added: "It's my birthday and what a birthday present, the best possible, my little brother's done me proud.”

Trish added: “I'm absolutely terrified when I see Tom race. He puts so much into it, years of backbreaking training, and there's so much riding on it.

“It's been such a long hard road for him, he has to work so hard, training full-time three times a day and rowing thousands of miles.”

Reflecting on his row, Tom said: “I feel happy but also a bit sad we didn't get gold.

“It needed to be special to beat the world champions and win the Olympics it was not quite special enough. But hey, you can't be disappointed with an Olympic silver medal.”

Joining Tom on the podium were crew mates Alex Partridge, Tom Stallard, Richard Egington, Josh West, Alastair Heathcote, Matt Langridge, Colin Smith and cox Acer Nethercott.

He added: “I've lived and worked with these guys and it's been a massive privilege to be on board, tough guys who will go to the ends of the earth for each other. To go through that together has been an amazing experience, the best of my life.”

Tom only took up rowing at Monmouth School under coaches Rob Howe and David Blackham five years ago. Since the weekend, old Monmothians have been bombarding him with congratulatory messages.

Tom said: “I've had so much support from back home, messages from my old school where I learnt to row, messages from my old rowing coaches, who I owe so much. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them.

Dr Steven Connors, headmaster of Monmouth School, said: “We are immensely proud of Tom Lucy. We know that he has trained hard and put a career in the Marines on hold to pursue his Olympic dream.”

Tom is not ruling out competing at London 2012, be added: “For now I've just got to kick back and enjoy the next two months – it's time to live a little like a normal 20-year-old for a while, because I've had to sacrifice so much to be here.”

Another Monmouth School product, the GB lightweight crew’s coach Robin Williams, was also celebrating after protégés Zac Purchase and Mark Hunter took gold in the double sculls.