Gold-medal sculling pair to split

Purchase (right) and Hunter were unbeaten in 2008

Gold-medal winning sculls Zac Purchase, from Tewkesbury, and Mark Hunter will split for at least the next 12 months.

The pair produced a flawless display to win the lightweight double sculls gold medal in Beijing on Sunday.

But Hunter, who lives in High Wycombe, told the BBC: "I've been in the sport a long time and there are other things going on in my life.

"We'll have a chat in a year's time and if it is the right thing to do, we'll get back together and get on with it."

Purchase's efforts were watched from the stands at Shunyi by his father Nick and his grandmother Mary, who had made a special embroidered bag which she carried with her for good luck.

"My grandmother kept telling me the only reason she was still alive was to come to Beijing and watch us win. I'm glad we did that for her."

"Now she's saying the only reason is to watch me in London in 2012," Hunter added.