Redgrave is greatest, but retirement lingers

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Sydney: Will the world's greatest rower keep going? After five consecutive Olympic rowing gold medals, the question is not so much how did Steve Redgrave, 38, do it but will he go for another.

After his gold-winning race at the Sydney regatta on saturday, wary of saying never again like he did after the Atlanta games, Redgrave told a news conference that maybe he would continue.

But later he told British newspaper 'News of the World', ''That's it for me. It's over. This was my defining moment. I don't even think I'll go out in a boat any more. It's time to find something else to do.''

His wife Ann was also emphatically against the idea. ''I don't think either of us knows what the future holds. But hopefully not a boat,'' she told a news conference.

Whatever his decision, it's hard to imagine his heroics being matched by anyone else. Diabetes, diagnosed in 1997, crew changes, the weight of public expectation, an upset loss at Lucerne in July in the last majorlead-up regatta before the Sydney Games, nothing could stop Redgrave, acclaimed by United States rowing coach Mike Teti as the greatest rower of all time.

British team spokesman Mark Howell said on Monday the retirement question was entirely in Redgrave's hands, but nothing was out of the question.

''A lot of people questioned whether Steve was capable this time. I think he's proven what a fabulous athlete he is,'' Howell told Reuters. ''Whatever he does, the British Olympic Association are proud to have been associated with him.''

Only Hungarian fencer Aladar Gerevich has bettered Redgrave's record. Gerevich won six consecutive golds from 1932 to 1960.

Asked to compare his five gold medals at five different Olympics, Redgrave said, ''You can't say which is your favourite child.''



(c) Reuters Limited.