The duo, who finished one point out of bronze medal position in Sydney in 2000, clinched their spot in the British team after finishing second in the Olympic test event in Qingdao last year.

But they have since been overshadowed by British team-mates and Beijing training partners Elliot Willis and Nic Asher who won silver at this year's Worlds and Europeans.

Helm Rogers, 31, and crew Glanfield, 28, came ninth at the Worlds in January and sixth at the Europeans but they did win an Olympic regatta in France in April.

And they insist they have improved as competitors since Athens.

"Were sailing close to our best level and we've got more experience on our side. We're much better sailors in light winds and we're better at killing off an event," Glanfield told BBC Sport.

"Whereas before Athens we used to win a lot of medals but necessarily a lot of regattas, now our risk management has improved and we've won a lot more. We're much better at having that Michael Schumacher attitude.

"In the past, if we were coming third with two races to go we might have sailed conservatively to guarantee third, but now we'll push a bit harder and take more risks to get gold."

The pair face stiff competition in the form of Australia's triple world champions Nathan Wilmot and Malcolm Page but Glanfield admitted that anything less than a podium place would be a disappointment.

"In Sydney we didn't really realise what we had missed out on," said Glanfield.

"But the reality is that there are some really good sailors out there, and some brilliant sailors struggled in Athens. Given the nature of the conditions in China, such as tides and fickle winds, things are going to have to go your way to win.

"I'd struggle to come out of Beijing with a bronze and be too disappointed but after getting silver in Athens, the goal is to win gold."

The 470 regatta gets under way on 11 August with the medal race on 18 August.