by Alex Hoad

@AlexHoadKOL

GB Rower Dan Ritchie revealed he was "petrified" he was going to die during a heart scare but has now recovered enough to resume his journey to Rio 2016.

The 26-year-old Herne Bay star suffered a suspected heart attack and went as far as sending a text to his wife telling her he loved her, but five months on, he is back on the water and in the plans of GB rowing chiefs as they seek to follow the success of London 2012.

While it may have been fantastic year for British sport, 2012 was the worst of Ritchie’s life.

A serious knee injury in April robbed Ritchie (pictured right) of his place in the GB men’s eight at the home Olympics and although he was married later in the summer, the year finished with his collapse and then the sudden death of his younger brother Aaron in December.

The former Herne Bay High pupil admitted: "I couldn’t be happier to see the back of 2012. It was a bad year from start to finish, with injuries, the Olympics, losing my brother, the heart – my wedding was about the only good thing that happened all year.

"My little brother passing away is just one of a number of things which gives me motivation to continue toward Rio."

He added: "I intend to carry on for the next four years and then maybe to 2020 too. I’m not 40, I’m 26. It all depends on what happens. My wife has told me to retire if I get another injury but I can’t think about that right now.

"The Olympics stir up a lot of emotions for me. A lot of the guys have London 2012 kit-bags and it can be hard to look at them.

"I want to compete at an Olympics but I am just desperate to prove myself, to prove that I am better than what I have done so far."

Ritchie – who learned his trade at Herne Bay Coastal RC – suffered a suspected heart attack at home in September just days after getting married.

He said: "I was petrified I was going to die. All I could do was to text my wife to tell her I loved her.

"She came home and found me and I was grateful to wake up in hospital."

Ritchie has undergone an electrocardiogram and a series of tests through Cardiac Risk in the Young and added: "I’ve been tested relentlessly but there’s no real answer as to what caused it. It may have been stress and suppressing the emotions of the past year.

"I don’t dwell on it. When I went back into the boat for the first time I was aware that every stroke could be my last.

"I don’t want to be wrapped in cotton wool. Of course people were worried but this is what I do and I do what I do because I love it."

The former GB swimmer has twice won silver medals at rowing World Championships in the eight and was selected in the same boat for the opening World Cup meeting of the year in Sydney next month.

He and crew-mate Tom Ransley of Ashford (pictured below) - a bronze medallist at London 2012 - jetted out this week and Ritchie added: "I’ve got unfinished business in the eight."