Rowing star Tom Ransley has won a third international gold medal for Great Britain with his success at the European Championships in Poland on Sunday.

The 29-year-old from Ashford claimed gold at the World Championships in 2013 and 2014 rowing in the men’s eight – in which he was a London 2012 bronze medallist. However, he was chosen for the men’s four this season, making an immediate impact in Poznan.

Ransley, a former pupil at King’s School, Canterbury, joined Nathaniel Reilly O’Donnell, Alan Sinclair and Scott Durant, in the four and they made sure of a final place by winning their heat on Friday.

They successfully defended the title GB claimed a year ago, storming away from the start to claim the lead and then clung on in the latter stages under pressure from Greece and Belarus in lanes either side of them to stop the clock in 5min 55.7sec. The Greeks were second in 5.57.00 with Belarus and fourth-placed Spain less than a second behind.

Ransley said: “We have a great tradition in the men’s four and so it’s great to carry on that mantle. Being European champion feels good.”

The GB team secured a spectacular medal haul of 10 in Poznan, improving from the two golds of a year ago to six, four of which came in Olympic class events.