Alex Partridge picked up the third World Rowing Championship gold medal of his career yesterday – and admitted it was beyond his wildest expectations.

The former Monkton Combe pupil had considered quitting the sport last year after only winning silver with the men's eight at the Beijing Olympics.

Partridge had previously enjoyed tremendous success in the men's four, winning World Championship gold in 2005 and 2006, and rediscovered his love for the sport when he was restored to the crew this year alongside Matthew Langridge, Alex Gregory and Ric Egington.

And that decision was fully justified when the new-look four powered to gold in the Polish city of Poznan, finishing nearly two seconds ahead of Australia.

"To come away with this win is fantastic," said Partridge.

"If you had asked me at the beginning of the year, I would never have dreamed of winning but we’ve come into form at the moment when it really counts."

The normally understated GB performance director David Tanner raved: "The men's four were not just the GB boat of the day but the boat of the championships."

University of Bath graduate Adam Freeman-Pask was not able to match that form, though, as he finished sixth in his lightweight men’s single scull semi-final.