Great Britain rower Vicky Thornley remains on course for Rio 2016 despite missing out on initial selection.

Former Abbey Gate College and Bishop Heber High School pupil Thornley and Katherine Grainger, the defending Olympic double sculls champion, failed in a late bid to secure seats in the women's eight after their partnership was disbanded because of a disappointing performance at the European Championships in Germany last month.

Testing took place at the GB Rowing headquarters in Berkshire last week and the results provoked an angry response from Ric Egington, the former British rower and Thornley's boyfriend.

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He claimed Paul Thompson, GB Rowing's chief women's coach, had mismanaged the women's team, accusing him of 'undermining' Thornley, who had won the national trials in the single scull for the past three years but was facing the prospect of not racing in Rio.

But following talks with Thompson, Thornley and Grainger are now expected to earn Olympic selection in a reformed double scull and compete at the World Cup in Poland this weekend.

"I had a meeting with the two women and they are committed to the double," Thompson said.

"They are very ambitious, they were wanting to make sure they were giving themselves the best chance of getting a medal.

"We opened up the eight and we did it as objectively as we could. They were very disappointed to miss out and they needed to regroup. That's why it's taken a few days to go through.

"They are both very committed to Rio and working out how that goes forward. We're committed to backing them and making that work. Now we need to draw the line and move forward."

Rower Vicky Thornley race in the women's eight at London 2012
Rower Vicky Thornley race in the women's eight at London 2012

Haling from Holt near Wrexham, Thornley 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 picked in the women’s double with the returning Grainger ahead of the 2015 season.

Grainger, who came out of retirement in 2014, won gold at London 2012 following on from silvers in Sydney, Athens and Beijing.

She will become Britain's most decorated female Olympian if she can claim a fifth medal in Rio.