The Great Britain rowing squad for the Beijing Olympics is

packed full of representatives from Gloucestershire.

The British Olympic Association today confirmed their 43

person squad for the games with six representatives from the

county.

Britain's flagship boat - the mens four - will contain two

Gloucestershire oarsmen.

Nailsworth's Peter Reed and Cheltenham's Steve Williams will

team up with Tom James and Andy Triggs-Hodge.

Alex Partridge from Cheltenham will compete in the men's

eight while Zac Purchase from Bushley near Tewkesbury is

confirmed as Mark Hunter's partner in the double scull.

Gloucester pair Natasha Page and Beth Rodford are on a nine

woman shortlist for the women's eight.

Williams was part of the victorious foursome from the Athens

games is chasing a second gold medal in Britain's flagship

boat.

The 32-year-old who was raised in Cheltenham where his

father was parish priest at St Mark's church was looking

forward to the challenge.

"Everything is very intense now," said Williams. "each crew

in our event is moving towards the top of its game.

"That's what they've been building up to for the last four

years. I don't think the men's four has been this competitive

since as far back as 1996."

 

Purchase who grew up in Bushley and who is a former coach at

Cheltenham College was looking forward to experiencing the

Olympics for the first time.

"Beijing is going to be an amazing event - a real eye opener

about world sport." said the 22-year-old Sculler.

"Being my first Olympics, I have to make sure that I don't

get too distracted by all the new sights and sounds.

"I'm looking forward to it immensely. I'm sure there will be

a lot of pressure to perform, but that is just going to make it

more exciting."

The Olympic rowing events run from August 9 through to

August 17 at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing Park.