Team GB’s rowers take to the water to contest five finals at Shunyi Rowing-Canoeing Park on Saturday (August 16).
First to go will be
Alan Campbell in the single scull, with a start time of 15:50 local time (08:50 BST). Campbell qualified second from his semi-final in a time of 7:05.24, narrowly ahead of world record holder Mahe Drysdale (NZL) in third place.
The 25-year-old Northern Irishman is still recovering from a serious infection and is already certain of bettering his achievements in the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, when he finished in 12th place as part of the men’s quadruple scull.
The afternoon scheduling in Beijing has been a bonus for Campbell, who said: “I’ve never been a morning person”.
He added: “Afternoon racing here has played into my hands. I like the course, I like the heat and I like the afternoons.”
The double scull of
Matt Wells and
Stephen Rowbotham will be next on the water, with a scheduled start time of 17:10 (10:10 BST).
"Going into the final I'm feeling the same as I have all year,” said Wells, for whom Beijing is his third Olympic Games after Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004. “I'm confident. We haven't had our best race yet this year, so the final is the time to do it."
For Wells’ crew-mate Rowbotham, Beijing 2008 is a first experience of Olympic competition – and the culmination of many years of hard work and training.
"I'll be thinking about what we have put in place over the last three years and all the preparation we have put in,” he said. “Now we need to replicate the stuff we've done in training on the big stage."
Hoping to win the gold medal for a third successive Olympic Games, the men’s four will line up for their race at 17:30 (BST 10:30).
Steve Williams is the only survivor from the victorious Athens 2004 boat, although Tom James and Andy Triggs-Hodge were part of the men’s eight in Athens.
Peter Reed, who sits in the three seat, said: "We need mental toughness in the next few days.
“We need to make sure everything is in the right place mentally, and then we need to make sure that we have an outstanding row in the final.
“I’ve got confidence that we will be in the right shape on the start line. We're not going to let anything slip."
Team GB’s women are also in final action on Saturday. Louisa Reeve and Olivia Whitlam contest the pair , while Elise Laverick and Anna Bebington go in the double scull.
There are five Team GB boats contesting finals on Sunday – the women’s quadruple scull, women’s eight, lightweight men’s double scull, lightweight men’s four and men’s eight.
Saturday
Men’s single scull (15:50 local time; 08:50 BST)
Women’s pair (16:10 local time; 09:10 BST)
Women’s double scull (16:50 local time; 09:50 BST)
Men’s double scull (17:10 local time; 10:10 BST)
Men’s four (17:30 local time; 10:30 BST)
Go to www.teamgb.com and click on 'Results' to view all the latest Team GB results. Click on 'Team GB' to view profiles of all Team GB athletes.
For further information
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