A PAIR of Hereford sisters are heading to Tokyo in a bid for Olympic Games gold.

Mathilda and Charlotte Hodgkins-Byrne have been selected to row in the Women's Quadruple Sculls.

The heats for their event takes place on Friday, July 23.

Having started her career at Hereford Rowing Club, Mathilda joined the GB Rowing Team Start programme at Reading having previously been at Gloucester-Hartpury and gained valuable senior experience during 2016.

Mathilda has come through the GB Rowing Team ranks, representing her country as a junior at the Coupe de la Jeunesse and at three successive World Rowing U23 Championships – winning gold in the women’s double sculls at her latest outing.

At the opening World Cup of the 2017 season, she won bronze, before winning European and World Championships bronze medals.

Charlotte learned to row at Hartpury College and Gloucester RC.

She was selected to row in the women’s quadruple sculls at the 2014 World Rowing Junior Championships, where she won a bronze medal.

Charlotte then went on to win three World Rowing U23 Championships medals in a row.

In 2016 she won silver in the women’s eight in Rotterdam, while Mathilda won double sculls gold.

The following year Charlotte stepped into the women’s quad as a late substitute ahead of the final in Plovdiv.

Despite the change, the crew powered to gold by nearly a length.

In 2018, Charlotte took her second under-23 gold by winning the double sculls with Anna Thornton – the duo’s fourth GB medal together.

Charlotte and Anna then finished fourth at the World Rowing Championships in Plovdiv in their senior debut.