Katherine Grainger and Vicky Thornley through to women's double sculls final in Rio

London 2012 gold medallist and six-time world champion Katherine Grainger's hopes of winning a fifth medal to move clear of Rebecca Adlington as Great Britain's most decorated female Olympian remain alive.

The experienced rower and partner Vicky Thornley have successfully sealed their place in the double sculls final. The duo, who reformed as a pair after their failure to win a place in the women's eight earlier this summer, finished second behind Magdalena Fularczyk and Natalia Madaj of Poland at the Lagoa Stadium on Tuesday (9 August).

Earlier in the day, Northern Ireland's Alan Campbell progressed through to Thursday's men's single scull semi-finals. The former bronze medallist, competing at his fourth Olympic Games, finished as the fifth-fastest qualifier and almost five seconds behind a resurgent Damir Martin of Croatia.

European Championship silver medallists Alan Sinclair and Stewart Innes also qualified for the men's pair finals after beating South African duo Shaun Keeling and Lawrence Brittain to second place behind favourites Hamish Bond and Eric Murray of New Zealand.

In the men's double sculls semi-finals, John Collins and Jonathan Walton fought hard to cross the line in third behind the boats from Croatia and Norway.

There was disappointment for men's lightweight four crew Peter Chambers, Jono Clegg, Mark Aldred and Chris Bartley, who failed to reach the final after trailing Italy, France and New Zealand in fourth. Katherine Copeland, who won a memorable gold in London alongside Sophie Hosking, will not defend her Olympic title after finishing third in the women's lightweight double sculls repechage alongside Charlotte Taylor. The United States and Japan took first and second place respectively.