Former King’s pupil is focused

5:27pm Thursday 8th May 2008

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SCULLING star Zac Purchase is totally focused on winning Olympic gold in Beijing.

The 2006 world lightweight singles champion has returned to the Munich Olympic lake where he took double sculls bronze with Mark Hunter last year.

The former King's School Worcester pupil said: "We're really serious about winning in Beijing. Everything we've done since Germany last September has been aimed at that.

"But although the games are only three months away now, and everything is geared to that, we've got to perform in Germany first.

"We've got to set high standards from the word go if we're going to win in China and Munich is all that matters at the moment."

Twenty-two next week, Purchase would love an early birthday present of gold at the first World Cup regatta of the season, something that eluded him last year as the duo took two silvers and two bronzes.

Worcester Rowing Club's Matt Beechey aims to make a splash with a new partner in the men's lightweight pairs, teaming up with Rob Williams in a nine-boat field.

After 10 world championship appearances, the veteran racer would love to make the Olympic team but the pairs is not a Games event.

With GB's four the current world champions, he is probably looking at trying to win a spare man's slot on the plane to Beijing.

Meanwhile, Alex Gregory says his GB men's quadruple scull is faster than last year and on course to grab a last-chance qualifying slot for the Olympics.

The Evesham Rowing Club star launches out at the Munich regatta with one change in the crew from last year.

The 2007 world under 23 bronze medal doubler Bill Lucas replaces Athens Olympics singler Ian Lawson on board a boat that also includes Simon Fieldhouse and Sam Townsend.

"I'm always positive about things, but there are definite signs of more speed and I believe we can win a place in China and do well there," said 24-year-old Gregory.

His crew missed out on Olympic qualification in a tough draw at the Munich world championships last year.

Now they have to go to Poland next month with the other unqualified nations for a sudden death shoot-out for just two places.