James Cracknell has become the oldest ever Boat Race champion, with his teammates revealing that they refer to him as “Uncle James”.

Age 46, the double-Olympic gold medallist and six-time world champion was part of Cambridge University’s crew as they rowed to victory at the 165th Boat Race.

Cracknell, who is studying an MPhil in Human Evolution at Peterhouse College, is also the most decorated man to row in the annual contest against Oxford.

“I haven’t felt like this for 20 years,” Cracknell said after the race, adding that the victory “topped everything” he has achieved so far in his sporting career.

Cracknell has previously competed in Amundsen Omega3 South Pole Race which involved rowing across the Atlantic Ocean and trekking across the Arabian Desert.

He has also become a successful runner, becoming the highest placed Briton ever in the Marathon des Sables in 2010 and completing the London Marathon in 2:43:12 in 2017.

At more than twice the age of some of his team mates – the youngest is 19-year-old Callum Sullivan, a first year Music student at Cambridge – he was nicknamed “Uncle James”.