Tim Foster's retirement from rowing was not unexpected.

Injuries meant the Olympic champion was never likely to keep going until Athens Games in 2004.

A persistent back problem almost put an end to Foster's medal hopes in Sydney and he missed this year's World Championships because of a knee injury that required surgery.

But as he contemplates a life in coaching, Foster can look back on a career that more than made up for the pain he endured.

The 31-year-old will be best remembered for his part in the coxless four that secured an historic fifth Olympic gold for Steve Redgrave.

There is also an Olympic bronze medal from 1996 as well as two world titles out of a total of seven World Championships medals.

All this was achieved despite a catalogue of setbacks that would have ended the career of a less resilient individual.

Foster first had major back surgery in 1993 but came back to win bronze medal in the coxless four at the Atlanta Games.

Then in 1998, after teaming up with Redgrave, Mathew Pinsent and James Cracknell, he tore four tendons and ruptured a blood vessel when he put his hand through a window while at a party.

Physical presence

The incident was met with obvious disapproval by his team mates who lost a World Cup race in Foster's absence.

And despite being back in action within six weeks, his comeback did not last long.

A recurrence of his back problem required an operation to remove a disc and Ed Coode stepped into the four.

Coode performed impressively and Foster found himself in the eight on his comeback.