THE British Olympic Association has announced 43 of the 47 rowers who will represent Team GB at this summer’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

The annoucement was made in Henley earlier today as the Caversham-based rowing squad go in search of another medal haul.

Olympic Champions Helen Glover and Heather Stanning return to defend their title in the women’s pair while Alex Gregory will also look to defend his men’s four gold from London 2012 – this time alongside Mohamed Sbihi, George Nash and Constantine Louloudis. Sbihi, Nash and Louloudis were all 2012 bronze medallists.

Olympic lightweight women’s double scull champion Katherine Copeland will seek to defend her crown in Rio alongside Olympic debutante Charlotte Taylor. Both were World Championship silver medallists last year.

The equivalent lightweight men’s double scull will feature London 2012 lightweight men’s four silver medallist Richard Chambers with another first-time Olympian Will Fletcher. The duo also won World silver in 2015.

Peter Chambers, Richard’s younger brother, will race with his London 2012 silver medal winning crew-mate Chris Bartley in a lightweight four which includes Jono Clegg and Mark Aldred.

Zoe de Toledo will cox the women’s eight who have already been crowned European Champions and world cup silver medallists in 2016.

This crew features Frances Houghton who’s set for her fifth Olympic Games appearance, while 2013 world women’s pair champion Polly Swann will enjoy her first Olympic outing. Swann missed London 2012 at the last moment due to injury.

Team GB will have a strong sculling squad in Rio with London 2012 bronze medallist Alan Campbell racing in the single scull at his fourth Olympic Games, while Jonathan Walton and John Collins will contest the men’s double scull.

Maidenhead's Peter Lambert, Reading's Sam Townsend, Angus Groom and Graeme Thomas are set for the quadruple sculls with GB having won world cup men’s quad silver in Lucerne ten days ago.

A group of 12 men’s sweep rowers have been named in addition to the men’s four and will form the men’s eight, pair and two reserves.

The group contains London 2012 and Beijing 2008 men’s four gold medallists Pete Reed and Andrew Triggs-Hodge as well as London 2012 bronze medallists Tom Ransley, Will Satch and Matt Langridge.

Nathaniel Reilly O’Donnell and Mat Tarrant, who were world cup winners in Varese in early May, are included along with Alan Sinclair and Stewart Innes who took silver at the European Championships last month. Both pairs will seek to prove their mettle as the additional Rio selections loom.

In addition, the final seats in the open women’s double scull, women’s spare and lightweight spare will be named in due course.

Mark England, Team GB’s Chef de Mission, said: “I’m delighted to be able to select and welcome such a talented rowing squad to Team GB for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

"Packed with Olympic experience, this squad of elite athletes can go to the Games full of confidence after strong results over the past 12 months.

"This experience will, I’m sure, be a valuable asset to the whole team in Rio de Janeiro; and I’m thrilled to see a number of rowers making their Olympic debut, clearly demonstrating the success of their talent pipeline."

He added: "Team GB have a deservedly proud rowing tradition, and I have every confidence that this group of British rowers will once more be medal competitive, and enjoy a successful and memorable Games this summer.”

Selected rowers:

Men’s Four: Alex Gregory, Mohammed Sbihi, George Nash, Constantine Louloudis.

Men’s Single: Alan Campbell.

Men’s Double: Jonathan Walton, John Collins.

Men’s Quad: Peter Lambert, Sam Townsend, Angus Groom, Graeme Thomas.

Men’s Pair, Eight, 2 Spares from: Paul Bennett, Scott Durant, Matt Gotrel, Andrew T-Hodge, Stewart Innes, Matt Langridge, Tom Ransley, Pete Reed, Nathaniel Reilly-O’Donnell, William Satch, Alan Sinclair, Matthew Tarrant.

Cox of Men’s Eight: Phelan Hill.

Women’s Pair: Helen Glover, Heather Stanning.

Women’s Eight: Katie Greves, Melanie Wilson, Frances Houghton, Polly Swann, Jessica Eddie, Olivia Carnegie-Brown, Karen Bennett, Zoe Lee.

Cox of Women’s Eight: Zoe de Toledo.

Men’s Lightweight Four: Chris Bartley, Mark Aldred, Jono Clegg, Peter Chambers.

Men’s Lightweight Double Scull: Will Fletcher, Richard Chambers.

Women’s Lightweight Double Scull: Charlotte Taylor, Katherine Copeland.