BRITISH Olympic bronze medallist Heidi Long is daring girls to dream when they watch her tear down the Thames in the Boat Race.

The 28-year-old is set to stroke Oxford’s dark blue boat on Sunday, the 10th anniversary of the men’s and womedayn’s events both taking place on the historic 6.8-kilometre Championship Course.

Long, who was on the podium last summer in Paris with Team GB’s women’s eights, remembers sitting on the London river’s bank at a younger age, not even noticing the lack of female crews because the absence back then felt “so normal.”

“I think the fact that women fought for this to be an opportunity, and that for us to be included without a second glance is really special to be a part of,” Long told the PA news agency.

“I hope that we create something and encourage girls of the future. I remember when I first watched the Boat Race, and it was just the men’s race, so to now, I never knew that would be possible.

“So now to be out there, racing, hopefully we can inspire the next group of young girls who are out there, who will hopefully be watching and cheering on, and in 10 years’ time they will be in our seats, racing and competing on an equal playing field.”

Oxford won the first women’s edition on the Thames in 2015, highlighted by a devastating sprint at the Surrey bend that that led to them crossing the finish line six-and-a-half lengths ahead of their Cambridge rivals, with about 4.8 million people watching on the BBC.

A decade later, Long and her crew-mates in the dark blue boat will be in the hunt for Oxford’s first women’s trophy since 2016 – and a third on the Thames – having been beaten by seven lengths last year.

Long said: “I remember we would watch the Boat Race [before] and I remember there not being many women involved, but I didn’t notice that that was a bad thing.

“It was so normal that women weren’t given the same platform, so I didn’t notice that as anything different. Now this feels like the new norm.

“Women’s and men’s sports should be equal, and to have the opportunity to speak with everyone, and race on the same day with the same coverage is really special.”

Long’s late father Keith was so convinced his daughter would be an Olympian last summer he bought a block of tickets to events well before he knew she was even competing.

He also booked accommodation in Paris, correctly anticipating a large travelling party, and left the log-ins for friends and family in one of his final notes before he passed away from cancer in 2023.

“That confidence, and who I am, it really wouldn’t be without him,” added Long. “I don’t really hear much when I’m rowing, apart from the cox.

“I drown everything out, even at the Olympic Games, everyone warns you the last 500 metres will be the loudest thing. You can’t hear anything.

“There are two people I can hear when I’m rowing. One is one of my brothers, and the other is my dad, so I’ll really miss his voice on the bank [at the Boat Race].

“There’s going to be noise, but he’d be one of the only people I’d hear.”