BEN SMISSEN won a gold medal on his Great Britain rowing debut in the Munich junior international regatta at the weekend.

The 16-year-old Deal Rowing Club member rowed on both days in the Junior 18 coxless four.

On Saturday, the GB crew won their heat. However, in the final, despite a good start, the crew could not match the pace of the Croatians and finished a disappointing fourth.

GB head coach Peter Sheppard then decided to change the crew for Sunday’s races. Smissen and Robin Esjmond-Frey kept their places and were joined by two new rowers.

Again the crew won the heat and the change proved decisive in the final. The crew were well within themselves with 1,000m to go and just behind the leaders. Then, with a powerful change of pace, the GB four moved clear towards the finish to win by over a length.

James Morgan, Deal's captain, said: “This is a fantastic achievement, and so far Ben has met every challenge that has been put before him. I just hope he can continues in this manner.

“To win a medal in his first GB race would have been great but to win the gold is unbelievable.”

Smissen said: “I felt very nervous before the first race on Saturday but it was a great weekend, and the coaches were very pleased with our performance, especially as it was the first time that the four of us who made up the Sunday crew had rowed together.”

Smissen will now begin preparing for the GB trials for this year’s world junior championships at the end of July.