Olympic champion James targets 2010 rowing comeback

By George Scott, Sportsbeat

OLYMPIC gold medallist Tom James is plotting his comeback after a year off from rowing - and is already targeting another gold at London 2012. 

GOING FOR GOLD: Tom James (pictured in bow seat) was a member of last year's Olympic winning men's four. He is already in talks about his 2010 comeback (Getty Images)

James was victorious in the men's four alongside Andy Triggs-Hodge, Pete Reed and Steve Williams in Beijing.

Triggs-Hodge and Reed have been moved into the pair this season by head coach Jurgen Grobler - with Williams also taking time out.

But they have suffered three defeats at the hands of New Zealand pair Eric Murray and Hamish Bond and head to next month's World Championships in Poland.

Meanwhile, 25-year-old James has revealed he has already met with Grobler to discuss his return to the team.

"I've had a good year out but I'm definitely planning on coming back," he said.

"I had a knee operation a couple of months ago for a long-term problem, which is hopefully sorted and I'm back to serious training in September.

"When you're out of the squad system you do the training on your own, with your friends or back at your old club. I've kept in touch with Jurgen and met up with him a couple of weeks ago to talk about coming back into the fold.

"Obviously he's very busy with the World Championships coming up but I've agreed to meet up with him again in September before we start to put a programme together."

The coxless four was one of the greatest sagas for the British team at the Beijing Games.

James and Triggs-Hodge picked up early-season injuries before returning to the crew to finish third in Poznan - the final World Cup regatta of the season.

It proved to be the motivation the flagship boat needed as they stormed through their heat and semi-final in Beijing, before overhauling Australia in a dramatic final.   

And James insists he is ready to repeat the feat, regardless of what boat he is in.

"I've got no idea where I'm going to slot back into the squad because you get selected individually and then Jurgen decides what boat he thinks has the best chance of winning and how you fit into that," he added.

"You have no choice over the matter. You just go out there, do your best and be confident about going to London and being in one of the top boats.

"I am confident, certainly on the back of winning in Beijing and I want to repeat that. You have to believe you can do that from any boat."