ROWING: On course for the Beijing Olympics

2:08am Friday 16th May 2008

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RICHARD Egington remains on course for the Beijing Olympics after helping Great Britain win a silver medal in the Munich World Cup meeting at the weekend.

The 29-year-old from Lymm was a member of the men's eight crew that was pipped for first place by Australia, who GB had defeated in the heats.

Egington, competing in the final despite suffering from a cold, was disappointed that the crew missed out on gold but believes it is a good start to Olympic year and is confident that he will be selected for Beijing if he can remain injury-free.

"You can never be sure about selection until the announcement but I'm very optimistic," said the former Warrington Rowing Club junior who spent part of the winter on training camps in Germany and Spain.

"I've been pleased with how my performance has gone during winter training, having been in the top two athletes all year.

"I've had my best winter so far, the most consistent and I feel now I'm in the best shape I've been in.

"I think I've done everything that has been asked of me."

The Olympic selection announcement is still probably six weeks away and Egington should have a further opportunity to cement his place when the second of this year's three World Cup meetings takes place in Lucerne in Switzerland at the end of the month.

The former Lymm High School pupil, who is a full-time rower and competes for Leander in Henley, was part of the eight that took the bronze medal for GB at last year's World Championships.

* Daresbury's developing rowing talent Olivia Whitlam did her Beijing hopes no harm with an appearance in the women's eight team that finished fifth in the German World Cup meeting.

Whitlam, a member of the Agecroft Rowing Club in Manchester, was crowned under 23s pairs world champion last year when she revealed she would be giving the 2008 and 2012 Olympics her best shot.