BRADFORD on Avon rower Mike Lawrence is hoping to put years of heartache behind him as he again chases international honours in 2015.

The 21-year-old is targeting a place at this summer’s U23 World Championships in Bulgaria after impressing at the Great Britain team’s winter assessment in Boston, Lincolnshire, this month.

The Wiltshire sculler took on a host of senior Olympic heavyweights as he finished third in the U23 category and 16th overall in the men’s single sculls over 2000m.

Four years ago, Lawrence’s chances of competing at the 2011 World Junior Championships were curtailed by a freak rugby injury and then last summer, as he again chased a place at last year’s U23 worlds in Italy, the University of East London scholar was capsized by a bout of glandular fever.

Lawrence is now training with former GB Olympic coach Miles Forbes-Thomas at London’s Quintin Boat Club and says that he’s revolutionised his approach to his sport as he looks to glide into the international fold.

“Last year, I went to a training camp in Brive and felt really tired, so I thought I must have just been dehydrated,” said Lawrence.

“I then competed at the Metro Regatta in the lead-up to Henley and after racing at the UEL docks, I had to be escorted back on the DLR to a clinic and I ended up hospitalised and diagnosed with glandular fever.

“I lost 10kg of weight and was in a bit of a pickle but I’ve slowly worked my way back.

“I’ve really started taking things a lot more seriously in terms of my training. I’m a lot more professional now and I’m training with Miles over at Quintin.

Lawrence will compete at the invite-only trials in Caversham in April.