Richard Chambers tells Team GB lightweight four crew-mates they have nothing to fear

Richard Chambers has told his lightweight four crew-mates they have nothing to fear as they step up their gold medal quest in today's Olympic semi-final at Eton Dorney.

The British crew have quickly emerged as strong title contenders, following a win at the Munich World Cup described as "sensational" by performance director David Tanner.

Chambers, his brother Peter, Rob Williams and Chris Bartley then opened their Olympic campaign with a heat victory over world champions Australia to underline their credentials.

"We will go out to win - and we want to win the final," said Chambers, a veteran of the 2008 Olympics.

"We've trained hard enough to know that we can do it and we have to deliver.

"We are going to have to keep a cool head and take on the other five boats in the semi.

"I just keep telling the guys they have nothing to be scared of, to just go out and enjoy it."

Britain, who posted the fastest time in the heats, line up alongside the United States, Holland, Switzerland, Germany and the Czech Republic.

Bill Lucas and Sam Townsend are in semi-final action in the double sculls, so took the lightweight double of Sophie Hosking and Kat Copeland.

Single sculler Alan Campbell races in the quarter-finals while Niger's Hamadou Djibo Issaka, who caught global attention after coming last in his repechage by one minute 20 seconds, competes in the E semi-final.

Great Britain's women's eight must finish in the top four of a five-crew repechage to qualify for the final.

PA