Redgrave tips brit duo for china gold

He tipped Zac Purchase and Mark Hunter in the lightweight doubles scull as his top tips for rowing success in August, and believes many more will follow.

Redgrave, who retired from the sport in 2000, said: “No-one’s heard of Purchase and Hunter but they’ve beaten everyone in the world this year.

“The Danes were a class act last year but they’ve beaten them, and it will be between those two teams and the Italians. But I think we’ll win gold. We’ve the strongest rowing team we’ve ever had going to Beijing.�

While others are preparing for the worst concerning Britain’s hopes this year and preferring to focus on 2012 in London, Redgrave was adamant fans will have much to cheer about.

He said: “I think we’ll get great success. Our Olympic history in recent years hasn’t been brilliant. Nine gold medals last time, 11 the one before, one gold in the Olympics before that one. The previous one before that we won five, so we haven’t got a huge history.

“We’ve got a chance in rowing of three gold medals, four or five chances in cycling and another three or four in sailing. That’s just three out of 28 different sports. If everything goes our way we could be up to 11 and towards 15 which would be a great step forward.

“We’re going to have a lot of people in Beijing pushing for medals.�

Last Wednesday, sessions on table tennis, basketball, rowing with Redgrave, and a motivational speech by paralympic sprinter John McFall were given to pupils from schools in the area.

The event also promoted a mentoring programme, which includes 16 British athletes who are going to Beijing and eight hopefuls for 2012. Under the scheme, the athletes learn from those who have already taken part in previous Olympic games.

Redgrave, 46, is one of the former Olympians helping with the Team Visa programme and believes he and his fellow mentors can assist in preparing for the British team for 2012.

He said: “There’s so much information we have, it’s great to pass it on. I don’t think it’s going to make the difference in them become a gold medalist or silver medalist but it’s another tool for them.

“There’s a lot of talent in the streets. You’ve just got to find it. We’ll definitely perform better in 2012 than we’ve ever done in the modern era of the Olympics.�

Local Olympic hopefuls also took part in the event. Darius Knight, 17, from Battersea took on all comers.
Fencer Richard Kruse, 24, of Camden, gave those attending a taste of something more unusual. Fencing will be hosted at the Excel centre.