Olympic gold medallist Helen Glover has told ESPN she will make her "difficult" decision whether to retire from competitive rowing in the next couple of months.
Glover, alongside Heather Stanning, won their second successive Olympic gold for Team GB in the coxless pairs in Rio de Janerio last summer, completing an unbeaten run of 39 races over four years.
Army Major Stanning announced her retirement in November, but Glover -- who at 30 is two years younger -- has told ESPN in an exclusive interview that she is still wrestling with the dilemma of whether to continue her career through to Tokyo 2020.
"For me, there still hasn't been this lightbulb moment post-Rio where I knew whether I was going to continue or not," said Glover, who has the opportunity to become the first British female to win gold medals at three consecutive Games.
"It's difficult. I've got to think about 'is the motivation there?' because the fire needs to burn really, really strong for a really, really long time if you're going to stand on the podium again.
"So, I'm going to make the decision over the next couple of months. Steve [Backshall, Glover's husband and a TV presenter] is really supportive of whatever I decide. He knows I have to make the right decision for me and he's saying he's happy if I'm happy."
Glover, who is unbeaten in 50 races and ranked world No. 1 active oarswoman, has committed to other challenges -- such as the London Marathon and the Devizes to Westminster canoe race in April.
Her former partner Stanning made the decision to retire after the Games to pursue her career in the British Army again but Glover says that has no bearing on her own decision.
"It was the right time for Heather, the right fairytale ending and I know her character is such that she'll want to repay the Army for their support for her," Glover added.
"But I honestly don't know what will make my decision for me. My decision-making has to be based on how much I want to go to another Olympics. I've never based it on what options are there outside the sport."
It is not uncommon for rowers to start late in the Olympic cycle after a Games year -- Stanning herself had a year back with the Army in 2013 after winning gold in 2012 -- but Glover is keen to make her mind up soon so that if she decides to continue, she can resume proper training in the summer and will not have missed an entire year.
Glover added that if she did decide to carry on, she was "totally flexible" about what boat she might wish to compete in. "I'm intrigued by what boat I might end up in. The single is definitely something I'd consider if I went back," she said.