SEARLE’S GUNNING FOR GOLD AGAIN AT 40
CONSTANTINE LOULOUDIS was not out of nappies when Greg Searle won his coxed pairs gold medal at the 1992 Olympics, but now the two of them are set to be united in the British eight for this summer’s Games. Searle, who just turned 40, was yesterday confirmed in the No 6 position as part of the line-ups for the World Cups, which precede the Games. And he will be sitting behind the precociously talented Louloudis, 20, who has the huge responsibility of the stroke seat. With the notable exception of the men’s four, for which a final decision on the exact make-up has been deferred, the crews named for the World Cup opener early next month in Belgrade are broadly those planned to take the starting line at Eton Dorney in the Olympics. That means Searle will be attempting to become the country’s oldest rowing gold medallist since 1908, trying to add to the gold he won with brother Jonny two decades ago. ‘Jurgen Grobler (head coach) has always made it clear that nobody is too young or too old,’ said Searle, who retired after Sydney 2000 but returned in 2010. He admits that booking a place in the eight — second favourites behind Germany for gold — has been hard not just physically but also on his family life. ‘On my 40th birthday I didn’t see the kids or open any cards when I got up because I had to be training,’ he said. ‘My eight year-old son wants me to play football with him, but I don’t want to risk my back and I don’t want to hurt my finger catching a cricket ball. ‘He wants me to be a normal dad but that is difficult. ‘I had a few troubles with my back in January but I’ve worked hard and feel I’ve become a solid No 6.’ The final line-up of the British Olympic boats will not become official until June 6, but Beijing gold medallists Pete Rede and Andy Triggs Hodge will certainly be in the four alongside Alex Gregory, with the last seat to be decided between Tom James and Alex Partridge. The delay has been caused by the discovery of a treatable heart irregularity in James before Christmas and a bout of illness among the rest of the crew over the past fortnight, which made testing impossible. The definitive selection for GB’S flagship boat, with the odd man out going into the eight, should be made in around two weeks’ time. Whatever the outcome, performance director David Tanner expects a strong team showing, saying: ‘We aim to be the leading rowing nation in the world.’