Olympic champion Tim Foster has set his sights on winning another gold medal in Athens in 2004 as he prepares for life as a coach.

Foster retired from rowing this week after being hit by a succession of injuries in recent years.

The 31-year-old was part of the coxless four that helped Steve Redgrave win an historic fifth Olympic title.

And now he aims to use that experience to help the next generation of British rowers.

"The ambition is to coach a gold medallist in 2004," he said.

"I'd love to be there at the Olympics coaching from the bank rather than being in the boat doing it myself.

"I know through Jurgen Grobler what a coach has to put in and what our win in Sydney means to him, so I'd like to help someone else achieve the same thing."

Knee injury

Foster knows he could not have a better teacher than Grobler, the German who has helped turn Britain into one of the top rowing nations in the world.

"It's a fantastic opportunity to be able to serve an apprenticeship under Jurgen," he said.