Pinsent and Foster aim for Athens

Golden four: Redgrave, Foster, Cracknell and Pinsent

Olympic rowing gold medallists Matthew Pinsent and Tim Foster have announced that they aim to compete at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

Pinsent, 30, will be going for his fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal.

He had previously refused to say whether he would be competing in Athens or retiring from the sport, and Foster has been plagued by back problems.

But on Wednesday the pair confirmed that they will continue rowing up to and including the next Olympics.

Pinsent said: " As good as Sydney was, Athens is a major motivation. I want to do it again.

"After taking 12 weeks off following the Games, I went on a training camp in January and realised that if I could do that, I could do anything.

Foster relief

"It was probably the hardest week of my life in terms of training. I was so unfit. Now six weeks on, I'm about 2 to 3% down from where I was this time last year."

Foster, 31, had to go through extensive medical scans and assessments on his troublesome back before being given the all clear to carry on.

"Pretty quickly after the Games, my head said I wanted to carry on and I knew that was what I really wanted to do," Foster said.

"But I had to make sure that I knew what risks I was taking with my body and what I was letting myself in for.

"When I got the all clear, it took time to sink in. It was a big weight off my mind.

"I'd convinced myself that things were OK, but even if you're 99% sure, it's always nice to know for sure."

Pinsent and Foster said they will not decide which boat to compete in until April.

The pair were part of the British team, including Steve Redgrave and James Cracknell, that won gold in the coxless fours at the Sydney Olympics.

Redgrave has retired after winning five Olympic gold medals, but Cracknell will carry on competing.