Neither was selected for the eight but British Rowing performance director David Tanner indicated Grainger and Thornley were likely to be reinstated in the doubles boat.
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Murray also claimed an Olympic silver medal in the mixed doubles in London alongside Laura Robson.
“Katherine is very feisty at the moment and very single minded”, Thompson said.
“The challenge for us having performed so successfully at a home Games at London 2012 will be to try and match that achievement at an away Games in Rio but we are very much looking forward to it as a team”.
“This has eliminated all other opportunities, so that’s their chance and we’ve got to help them make sure it happens”.
Four-time Olympian and London 2012 gold medallist Katherine Grainger looks set to miss out on selection for the Team GB rowing squad for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Olympic champions Helen Glover and Heather Stanning, who won Britain’s first gold medal of London 2012, will aim to defend their title in the women’s pair.
After being named in the squad, Andy Murray said: “Playing for Team GB during London 2012 gave me some of the best memories I have in sport”.
Jess Eddie from the women’s eight and Phelan Hill, cox of the men’s eight, both represent Putney-based London Rowing Club, while Olympic debutants John Collins from the men’s double scull and Charlotte Taylor of the lightweight women’s double both learned to row at Putney Town RC.
Katherine Grainger will have to play a waiting game to see if she has been selected for the Rio Olympics after her name was not among those of 43 of the 47 rowers officially announced today.
Pete Reed insists he is not thinking about joining an elite group of Brits to win gold medals at three successive Olympics. Every medal is important to us but golds are what makes us a winning team.
“The last few years have been some of the most challenging of my life but they’ve also been some of the most rewarding”.
Their double scull campaign was dissolved last month to focus on earning seats in the larger boat but they were unsuccessful in the selection process.
“In my eight or nine visits there, I’m very confident this will be an outstanding Games”.
“I don’t think this year will be an exception”. “The statue of Christ the Redeemer is right behind the rowing start line, it’s an iconic venue for our sport and while it may be a bit windy, we’re from Britain and we’re ready for that”.
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“Rio 2016 is going to be a really high quality competition and the standard in this cycle has been excellent across the board but we feel we have a team of exciting prospects heading to Brazil as part of Team GB”.
