British single sculler Alan Campbell said Tuesday in Beijing that he has fully recovered from injury and is ready for racing at the Olympic Games.
Campbell suffered a slight knee injury after winning the first world cup in Munich in May and finished fourth in the second race in Lucerne in June. The injury kept him out of the third world cup in Poznand and disrupted his build-up for the Games.
"We had the best team and people around me and they helped me really a lot," the 25-year-old said. "I'm fully fit now."
The favorite acknowledged that he was very worried on hearing the news of injury. "But anything could happen anytime, and we always worry," he said.
"I feel confident and am happy with how training is going. Hopefully, I'll be in a good position in the race," he said.
"In my first Olympics in Athens, I was in the men's quad sculls and finished 12th. This time I'm in single and hope to do better."
Campbell said he was only a little advantaged compared with his major rivals in term of age. Norwegian Olaf Tufte, Olympic champion in 2004, is 32 years old. Triple world champion Mahe Drysdale of New Zealand is 30 years old.
"I've done a lot of hard training and I get more time," he noted. "But I don't think age will become a big problem for them.
"I really like the course. It's well built and quick. I'm looking forward to the racing."
"All knew the weather (in Beijing) was going to be like this. But it's the same to everyone."
He added: "In 2005, we competed in the world championships in Japan, and the weather was very similar to here."
To deal with heat and help quicker recovery, Campbell wears ice vest after the training sessions at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park.
"It gets my body cool down and help me recover quickly between two races. Someone else say it doesn't work, but I like it."
"I'll enjoy the Games."
"After the racing, I'll spend a long time with my girl friend as I haven't seen her for such a long time with all my training," he said, "I'll go away with her for a lovely holiday in Malaysia."
"I'm looking forward to it."
Campbell, who once gave up a position at the prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to follow his sporting dream, trained in Britain before arriving in Beijing on July 31.
He said he trained together with Drysdale in the winter and they were very good friends. "I hope he can come and train together with me again this winter. I enjoy doing it."
(Xinhua News Agency August 6, 2008)