Phelan Hill admits his Rio 2016 triumph was 16 years in the making after he coxed Team GB’s men’s eight to the pinnacle of their sport this summer.

While studying law at the University of Leicester, Hill was glued to his television as Rowley Douglas coxed Great Britain to Olympic gold in Sydney back in 2000.

That sparked a desire in him and a decade later Hill, who used to work as a Senior Policy Advisor with HM Treasury in London, won a World Championship silver, but had to settle for bronze on his Olympic debut at London 2012.

However, three consecutive World Championships golds followed in the years after and nothing was going to stop Hill and his team from finishing top of the podium earlier this summer in Rio.

Great Britain crossed the line at the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon in 5:29.63 minutes, more than a second ahead of Germany, and at 37 years of age Hill had finally achieved what he had set out to do.

“2016 for me has been a dream,” said Leander Club member Hill, speaking at the grand finale of the Invesco Perpetual City Regatta.

“I have to say, the season didn’t start that well, and we had quite a mixed season in racing through the European Championships and World Cups.

“But everything came right on the day, Rio was absolutely fantastic and we lived what we’ve always dreamed about – winning an Olympic gold.

“It’s really special. I remember going back to 2000 when the GB eight won in Sydney, I watched it on TV as an enthusiast, I was just a club and university cox back then.

“I saw Rowley Douglas with his Olympic gold and just thought it was amazing. To do something like that, even to go to an Olympics, was amazing.

“So to go to my second Olympics, representing Great Britain, and win an Olympic gold, I reached the pinnacle of my sport. It’s fantastic, it’s everyone’s dream.”

Hill was sharing the top step of the podium in Rio with fellow Leander Club members Tom Ransley, Matt Gotrel, Pete Reed, Matt Langridge and Will Satch.

Of the 24 Leander Club rowers in action at Rio 2016, 12 Olympic medals were won and Hill believes he wouldn’t have reached the top without the help he receives back home.

“Leander over the years have been absolutely brilliant to me,” he added. “I joined Leander back in 2007, so nearly ten years ago now, and at that point I was just a club rower.

“I’d won Henley [Royal Regatta] but in a club event, but fast forward ten years on and I’m an Olympic champion and a multiple world champion.

“Things like that wouldn’t have happened without the support of Leander. They gave me access and exposure to current internationals at the time, they gave me that experience, and there’s just such a great infrastructure behind the club.”

Invesco Perpetual’s innovative new ‘City Regatta’ event aims to encourage more people across the UK to get involved in rowing, and is staged in association with Leander Club, the world’s most successful rowing club. 24 Leander rowers competed in Rio 2016, producing 12 Olympic medalists.