Former Olympic rower James Cracknell chosen as Tory election candidate in Colchester

Ex-Olympic rower James Cracknell is set to be the Tory candidate in Colchester at the general election.

The double gold medallist will be standing to replace outgoing MP Will Quince in the Essex city.

According to multiple reports, the 51-year-old saw off competition from five other rivals in order to be chosen as the Conservative hopeful.

Cracknell has long been tipped to become an MP and had previously put his name forward to be the Tory candidate in Henley.

He won Olympic gold in both 2000 and 2004 as part of Great Britain’s dominant coxless four crew.

Ex-Olympic rower James Cracknell is set to be the Tory candidate in Colchester at the general election

The double gold medallist will be standing to replace outgoing MP Will Quince in the Essex city.

He won Olympic gold in both 2000 (pictured) and 2004 as part of Great Britain’s dominant coxless four crew

During his stellar career, he also won a string of World Championship gold medals while, in 2019, he won the Boat Race as part of the Cambridge crew at the age of 46.

It made him the oldest competitor to take part in the contest in its long history.

Former Tory deputy chairman Lord Ashcroft said he was ‘very pleased’ that Cracknell has been chosen as a Tory candidate for the general election.

‘If elected he would represent Colchester with his infinite energy,’ he wrote on Twitter.

Mr Quince, currently a health minister, announced in June he would not be standing again in Colchester at the general election.

He won the seat for the Tories at the 2019 election with a 9,000-vote majority.

But both Labour and the Liberal Democrats, who last held the seat in 2010, will fancy their chances of taking the constituency.  

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