Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Who is the greatest Olympic flatwater boat racer of all time?

Before you all leap up and down shouting "Steve Redgrave, it's got to be Sir Steve Redgrave", let me introduce Birgit Fischer.

There'll be more on Redgrave at a later countdown date - no prizes for guessing which one - but all you need to know today is that his achievement in winning gold medals at five consecutive Games, was matched by German kayaking sensation Fischer at the 2004 Games.

But Fischer, who became the youngest and oldest competitor to win Olympic kayaking gold, in a career that saw her compete at six Games over 24 years, won a total of 12 medals - eight of which were gold.

Fischer was just 18 when she won the K1 500m event at the 1980 Moscow Games while competing for East Germany.

Her country's decision to boycott the 1984 Los Angeles Games deprived her of the chance to defend her title, but she returned to win two golds and a silver in Seoul in 1988 and then announced her retirement.

However, Fischer was back In 1992 where she won another gold and silver and repeated the feat at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

The Sydney Games were to be her swansong and she looked to be signing out in fine form, adding another two gold medals to her tally.

But once again, the lure of the Olympics proved too strong and Fischer returned for one final fling, winning K4 500m gold and K2 500m silver at the age of 42.

Her total of 12 Olympic medals puts her

In Beijing, Britain has two confirmed flatwater canoeists in - how do you think they will fare?