Polly good show!

The crew paced their race to perfection on Monday, coming from behind to see off the challenge of New Zealand and Canada.

Alongside cox Zoe de Toledo, Frances Houghton, Katie Greves, Melanie Wilson, Jessica Eddie, Olivia Carnegie-Brown, Karen Bennett and Zoe Lee, Swann will now be going for gold in the final on Saturday.

The Lancaster-born 2013 world women’s pair champion said: “I think we’re all really pleased. We maybe didn’t get the fastest start compared to other crews.”

Swann is at her first Olympics after missing London 2012 agonisingly through injury.

She said: “I obviously missed London with a back injury, so this has been six years in the making.

“I think maybe I feel it a bit more than the other girls and I can appreciate the fact that I am here.

“I’m savouring every moment because it was so brutal four years ago.

“The crew that we have is so strong, the girls are sassy, incredible girls and anything is possible for us.”