Rowing
Olympic warning for Gregory

OLYMPIC coxless four gold medallist Ed Coode has warned Alex Gregory that the unthinkable could happen this summer and he could lose his expected London 2012 spot.

Former Evesham Rowing Club ace Gregory - who agonisingly missed out on competing at Beijing in 2008 - alongside team-mates Tom James, Ric Egington and Matt Langridge looked to have installed themselves as certainties for Olympic selection after an all-conquering 2011.

The quartet went the entire season undefeated, culminating in claiming the World Championship title in Slovenia last September.

However, Coode knows only too well the ruthlessness of British Rowing's notorious boss Jurgen Grobler, having been 'demoted' from the four to the pair in the run-up to the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

The 36-year-old bounced back to win gold - in the four - in Athens four years later, but the memories of that 2000 heartache have left him concerned for ex-Evesham ace Gregory.

"Changing the boats around seems to happen in every Olympic cycle and Jurgen (Grobler) seems to be a specialist in doing it," said Coode, speaking at a P&G roadshow in Exeter.

"I have got a funny feeling that Jurgen will play around with the squad and change it this year and that could spell trouble for the guys from last year because he likes to mess with the crews at the last minute.

"Sometimes that is at the expense of another crew. The squads can't take anything for granted. However, if there is a sense that a squad can benefit from a change then Jurgen I am sure won't worry about making it and if that effects the boys in the boat now then that will be unfortunate."

If Gregory - who was a reserve for Bejing in 2008 - is to make way, the two people likely to break up the World Championship-winning four are Pete Reed and Andy Triggs Hodge.

The duo were part of the coxless four that took gold in Beijing in 2008 before teaming up as a pair for the following three seasons.

However, their switch has ultimately - in the lofty standards of British rowing - been a failure as they have yet to win a world title, taking three consecutive silvers.

And Coode believes their comparative struggles contribute even further to the question marks over Gregory's future.

If Grobler is minded to put the pair back into consideration for the four, with three reigning Olympic champions available for selection, Gregory could be competing for a solitary berth in the boat.

"I think it would be a mistake to try to win medals across the board," added Coode.

"The standard is going to be up from the last Olympics in Beijing, just like it improved in 2008 from the 2004 Games in Athens that I last competed at.

"So, in terms of the four, I don't think anybody should underestimate the target that they want to achieve which is Olympic gold.

"I think it is possible for all the men's crews to win gold but I think it would need a very, very confident Jurgen to try and do that.

"We have got to be very, very sure that the four that won World Championship gold say are the ones to win gold in London."

Ed Coode was speaking at the Exeter leg of the 'nearest & dearest' roadshow in partnership with P&G - supporting family and friends of all Team GB and Paralympics GB athletes in the lead up to London 2012. Visit www.pgproudsponsorofmums.co.uk for more information.