BERKSHIRE superstar Katherine Grainger and Vicky Thornley powered their way into the final of the double sculls in Rio after finishing second in their semi-final on Tuesday.

The Great Britain pair were the fourth fastest in the two semi-finals, but only by 0.01 seconds, and so have a realistic chance of finishing among the medals.

Grainger, 40, who lives in Maidenhead, is aiming to follow up the gold medal she won in the London Olympics, where she rowed with Wokingham’s Anna Watkins, and the silver medals she secured in 2000, 2004 and 2008.

That makes the Glaswegian Britain’s most successful Olympic female rower, and now she has a great chance of making it five medals in the final on Thursday (2.20pm).

However, the lightweight fours – silver medallists fours years ago – will not be among the finalists, as Maidenhead’s Jono Clegg, Henley resident Mark Aldred, Peter Chambers and Leander Club’s Chris Bartley could only finish fourth in their semi-final.