OLYMPIAN Steve Redgrave said he knew his crew has won gold just 250 metres into last Saturday's race in Sydney.

OLYMPIAN Steve Redgrave said he knew his crew has won gold just 250 metres into last Saturday's race in Sydney.

The Marlow man said: 'From 250 metres gone, it was all over by then in my eyes. We had moved out to a comfortable lead and as soon as we are out in front nobody comes past us, well not often anyway.'

The British crew finished in 5min, 56.24sec just 0.36 seconds ahead of the Italian silver medallists with the Australians taking bronze.

Matthew Pinsent, who claimed his third gold medal rowing with Redgrave in Sydney, added: 'It was undoubtedly desperate and flat out down the last 200 but I don't think any of us doubted it even for a moment.'

The British crew got off to a perfect start in lane three, sandwiched between Slovenia and hosts Australia. They floored their rivals bursting out of the blocks at 51 strokes-a-minute.

The Brits had the perfect view as the five other crews attempted to play catch-up, going almost half a length ahead at the 500m mark.

By the half-way stage, Redgrave and co were three-quarters up as the Italians made their push for gold. They rowed through the second-placed Australians, upping their rate to 38-and-a-half strokes, but Pinsent duly responded.

In the final 500 metres with the grandstand crowd on their feet, Britain had pushed up to 42 strokes, as the Italians, now on 44 strokes, refused to go away.

But the British crew held their nerve, crossing the line on 44 strokes to make sure of their historic victory.