Nathaniel Reilly O'Donnell

Nathaniel Reilly O’Donnell, at 19, is already a reigning World Junior Champion in the four and he captained the British squad which travelled to the Olympic Youth Festival in Australia in January this year, where he won two golds and a silver.

He has just been selected for the British Under-23 men’s eight.

TEAMTALK caught up with him at the team training camp to talk about the two big influences on his life: sport and family.

“I guess I just like sport”, Nathaniel laughs. “I’ve played most sports. Rugby was my big thing. My Dad used to coach at Houghton Rugby Club and he coached me. But then rugby and rowing clashed and I picked rowing.

“And you can’t really be from the North-East and not get into football. I support Sunderland. I even used to be a season-ticket holder there!”

“I have two younger brothers and two younger sisters and we’re all sporty. Mum and Dad were just keen for us to do extra things. Mind you, my family live, basically, in the middle of nowhere – getting me and all my siblings home was a military-style affair. So my parents had to help out loads, driving me to training and stuff.”

Family is clearly important to Reilly-O’Donnell.

“We have a big Irish link in the family and so we’re quite tight-knit. My parents are definitely a big influence on me.

“Having said that, I don’t like them being at my races. It puts me off if I see them. I think initially my Mum was quite hurt that I didn’t want her there, but she supports me either way.

“They weren’t at Henley [Royal Regatta, where Reilly O’Donnell won the student coxed fours event this summer], but they wanted to be. It’s difficult with all my brothers and sisters. But they’ll be at Strathclyde [for the World Under-23s] and they came to Amsterdam [for World Juniors].

Nathaniel has just finished his first year studying Law at University College London, a course he says he chose because “I like to know what’s going on, I’m interested in current affairs. I like that more political side of Law, much more than the administrative side”. And how big a change was moving to London for him?

“Obviously a part of me was worried about moving. But I was also looking forward to it. I think on balance I prefer life in the country. But then again, in London you can do anything, buy anything, get hold of anything you want. Everything is so accessible.

“The biggest problem was actually the difference in air quality! I’ve grown up so far away from a city that my lungs couldn’t take the bad air. I even had to take an asthma test. But it’s fine now, I’ve got used to it.”

What about the rest of his free time?

“I do like film, but I’m not fussy. I’ll watch most stuff. I like sporty films: Chariots of Fire is a good one. And action stuff too, James Bond, Die Hard and the like. And psychological thrillers. Basically anything!

“On this camp we’ve had a few afternoons off, so we’ve been going to the cinema, which has been good.

“Actually some of the lads and I have been playing poker in the evening at the hotel. That’s been fun too.”

Reilly O’Donnell, it turns out, gambles regularly – but in a far more understandable way.

“I play the National Lottery every week. Lots of rowers do, it’s understandable given the support they give to rowing. I play Euro-Millions and each week I enter the Saturday draw. I have set numbers, which are all related to races so that they mean something to me.”

And looking towards the upcoming Under-23 event: what’s the atmosphere like in the British camp?

“The atmosphere is quite good. Obviously it’s serious – we want to win – but it’s also really friendly.

“With the Youth Olympics in January we didn’t have the usual Christmas training camp for under-23s, so we’re just getting to know each other. I certainly didn’t know anyone else in the eight, but it really hasn’t been a problem. It’s good fun: I’ve got friends in various crews and there’s been lots of joking around.”