British rowing hero Sir Steve Redgrave is confident the coxless four can strike Olympic gold in Athens despite the late change in personnel in the build-up to the Games.
The team was struggling in the World Cup regattas after several changes of crew members before suffering a further blow when Alex Partridge was ruled out of the Games by a collapsed lung in June. That brought Ed Coode into the team and his late introduction has led many to question the ability of the four to bring home gold from Athens.
But five-time Olympic gold medallist Redgrave, who retired from the sport after his last triumph in Australia four years ago, thinks the team - now made up of Sydney gold medallists Matthew Pinsent and James Cracknell, Coode and Steve Williams - thinks otherwise.
"Man for man they are better than the favourites Canada. They have had a good training camp and if they can harness their power I think they will win," said Redgrave, in Athens working for the BBC.
"There are disadvantages for the four as they have not raced in that combination [of crew]. They are playing down their chances.
