"Lots of different factors brought me back, one of them being that I still have the physical capability," the 36-year-old British rower said.

"At some point, my body will no longer be able to do this, that point isn't now, and I think if I can physically do it, and I have the motivation and the drive to do it, and I still enjoy it and it fits in with the family life, then I really should do it."

At London 2012, Glover partnered Heather Stanning to gold in the coxless pairs in the Olympic regatta at Eton Dorney.

They were the first gold medallists for the host nation and also became the first British women to win in rowing at the Games.

Her partnership with Stanning was revived for Rio 2016 where they retained their title.

Glover then retired to start a family.

Her son Logan was born in 2018 followed by twins Kit and Willow in January 2020.

The decision to postpone the Tokyo 2020 Olympics meant she was able to qualify for her third Games in 2021.

She finished fourth alongside Polly Swann in a race won by Grace Prendergast and Kerri Gowler of New Zealand.

Glover admits her motivation partly comes from the achievements of fellow London 2012 gold medallist Dame Katherine Grainger, who rowed at five consecutive Games and won silver at her final event aged 40 in Rio.

"I think it's possible that I could be in Paris at the age of 38 and be better than I ever have been and that's what I want to work with the team to become," Glover added.

"I also want to prove a point that you can still continue to improve and I've set myself a challenge of being better than I ever have been and I do think that's feasible."

Big thanks to my support teams on and off the water 🌊 The best cheer squad, coaches, boat handlers, and team mates I could ask for. (Plus my mum not pictured, and my friend Tom who grabbed Logan by the hood as he dived at me during my sprint home 🦸‍♂️)!! pic.twitter.com/PQsQC1eDtA

— Helen Glover (@Helenglovergb) October 17, 2022

Glover is now trained by new British head coach Andrew Randell.

"Working with Andrew has been really exciting because I'm working with someone who's got children, he gets it," Glover said.

"He knows that when I'm happiest as a mum, I'm going to get the best results out of myself as a rower, and he knows that when I'm rowing well, I usually go home and enjoy family life and can be the best mum I can be."

Last year, Glover won beach sprint silver in her debut World Rowing Coastal Championships.

"Of course I had concerns about going up against younger athletes," she said.

"I think as a society, we are led to believe that you peak in your 20s and there's no question about it and there are so many amazingly talented rowers coming through, but that's why I came back, I want to come back into a leading squad, into a squad that's going to challenge me."

Glover won the British pairs trial with 2022 world coxless fours gold medallist Rebecca Shorten, although no indications have yet been given on final crews for Paris.

Tokyo 2020 took place without spectators as part of isolation precautions against COVID-19.

"My children being able to be in Paris is definitely is a motivation for coming back," Glover said.

"All of these things feel really big, but then if I want to simplify it right down, I can just think of my three kids in the stands at Paris and go, 'well, that’s enough'.

"They won't really care how I do, they'll just be proud of their mummy and having them on the journey will definitely be one of the most special parts of it all."