Boat race: James Hudson by Cambridge with rowing with atrial fibrillation

“James’ condition is different from the atrial fibrillation that you see in the normal population,” said dr. Rob Howlett, GP and medical support for the Cambridge University Boat Club.

“As an elite athlete pushes his body in places where most people don’t go.

“See changes in the heart, adaptive changes for the exercise they are doing. Sometimes you see strange things appear as an atrial fibrillation.

“It is not dangerous, it does not cause collapse or sudden death. It is very safe. In fact, it gets it more at rest than when it is pushing.

“If they train less, it will go away, but obviously it is not an option.”

The 31 -year -old wears a heart rate monitor for each session on the water.

It also makes daily meditation to lower stress levels and has reduced the intake of caffeine.

“If I have an episode, we have a pill in the pocket method,” he said.

“I stop training and I take a drug called Flecainide which slows down the nerve impulses in the heart and reduces the heart to a normal level.

“Then I try to relax as much as possible. I have a great medical team around me.”

Robson is used to the needs of elite competition.

It is on pause from training with GB rowing and was a reserve in the men’s eight at the Paris Olympics.

He is studying for an MBA in Cambridge and on Sunday he is preparing for his first boat match against Oxford.

“What I understand is that atrial fibrillation is indiscriminate,” he added.

“But it’s nice to bring awareness to the condition and understand that I’m not the only one out there to face it.

“It’s nice to show people that everything is possible – that you can demonstrate that you can go out there and make your dreams come true.”