Vicky Thornley and Katherine Grainger will race for Great Britain at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games this summer.

The pair's selection for the women's double scull has now been confirmed, ending a drawn out saga that saw them left out of the initial Team GB squad.

Thornley, a former Abbey Gate College and Bishop Heber High School pupil, and defending Olympic champion Grainger struggled at the European Championships in May and dissolved their partnership to chase seats in the women's eight.

When that bid failed, prompting Thornley's boyfriend Ric Egington to accuse Paul Thompson, GB Rowing's chief women's coach, of bullying, the duo faced missing out on Rio.

But those fears have now been allayed with Thornley to compete in her second Olympics and Grainger in her fifth having won four medals, three silvers in Sydney, Athens and Beijing and gold in London four years ago.

Thornley said: "I am very proud to be selected for the Rio Olympics in the double with Katherine.

"I am really looking forward to putting the next building blocks in place. Racing with the union jack on my chest at my second Olympics will be very special and I can’t wait."

Vicky Thornley and Katherine Grainger in action at the 2016 European Rowing Championships
Vicky Thornley and Katherine Grainger in action at the 2016 European Rowing Championships

Grainger added: "It is an amazing feeling to be selected to represent your country at the Olympic Games. That feeling doesn’t diminish the second, third, fourth or even fifth time round.

" I am proud to have been selected into the women’s double with Vicky and look forward with confidence to the next few weeks of training camps where we can make huge strides towards our goal of competing for a medal in Rio."

Thornley, who hails from Holt, converted to rowing from equestrian and struck gold at the 2009 World Under-23 Championships.

The 28-year-old went on to race with the women’s eight at London 2012 and was partnered with Grainger when she returned from retirement in the women's double ahead of the 2015 season.

Vicky Thornley will be competing in her second Olympic Games
Vicky Thornley will be competing in her second Olympic Games

Sir David Tanner, British Rowing performance director and Team GB rowing team leader, said: "Whilst the road to selection for this crew has not been straightforward, I remain confident that they remain a significant contender in Rio."