A Shropshire-born rower is on course to complete the amazing journey from novice to Olympian in two years, writes James Garrison.

It was April last year when Jo Lyons sat in a boat for the first time.

But just 16 months on and the 24-year-old has racked up a clutch of prestigious national titles and is a genuine candidate to force her way into the women’s GB eights at next year’s Beijing Olympics.

Lyons was based in Dovaston, between Shrewsbury and Oswestry, attending Corbett School at Baschurch before moving onto Wrekin College where she was a student and a teacher.

But she has now moved down to Reading to be closer to the national coaching base as she diverts all her energy into advancing her rowing career.

“I started rowing last April and remember competing in a novice race in my first Regatta at Bewdley – I lost because I crashed into some rocks,” she admitted.

“It’s come a long way since then and I’m delighted and surprised with the way it’s going – I never for a minute thought it would go this well.”

Lyons’ amazing success story began when she came through five rounds to seal her first major win at the Henley Women’s Regatta.

And since then the honours have continued to flow.

Despite being six seconds adrift at the midway point of the 2,000m single sculls final at the National Championships in Nottingham, Lyons stormed back to claim gold there by 2.5 seconds.

And she followed that up with a British success when she represented Wales at the Home Countries International in Ireland at the same discipline last weekend.

Lyons has also collected the British record for the mile ergo distance – 5mins 27.8secs – and reached the semi-final of the main Henley Regatta with Marlow/Reading before they were beaten by the Australian national squad.

She will attend the first stage of GB Trials in October.