Frances Nicholls. Rower

BT Global Services business support specialist Fran Nicholls is walking tall as a BT Ambassador for London 2012 - and has the London 2012 Olympic Games in her sights. 

Read our interview with Frances as she talks about talks about her sport and her motivation.

Fran was accepted on to a development programme for rowing for the 2012 event thanks to a search by UK Sport called Sporting Giants, targeting tall athletes for the sports of rowing, handball and volleyball

At 6ft, Fran, now 24, decided to apply and, from the 5,000 applicants, was one of 20 women selected for rowing.

Applicants were expected to relocate and begin full-time training, having been assigned a full-time coach. At the time, Fran had only been working for BT for six months in Leeds and, within a whirlwind three weeks, had negotiated a new flexi-time role with BT and had moved to the South East.

Since being taken on to GB Rowing’s World Class Start programme, she has now transferred to row at Leander in Henley and is now training in earnest. Fran became national champion at the National Rowing Championships of Great Britain, taking gold in the women's double scull event with her doubles partner Debbie Flood.

She is aiming to race at the European Championships in 2010 and would ideally like to then progress to the World Championships for 2011, with the ultimate goal of competing at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Recent successes for Fran have included making the qualifying time in the National Trials in 2008, after only one year of full time training. She also achieved second place in the eight’s Head of the River race and gained a gold in a double with Olympic medallist Debbie Flood at the 2009 National Championships.

Fran said: “It’s an amazing opportunity, as the sport has a lot of experience in talent development.”

“Although the initial stages have been tough - adjusting to full-time training and such a big lifestyle change - I am thoroughly enjoying the whole experience.”