The 29-year-old from Skipton competes in the men's four, a boat that was qualified for Beijing at the World Championships last year.

All that remains now for coach Jurgen Grobler and the GB selectors is to pick the four men to row in the Olympics over the next three World Cup regattas, beginning this weekend in Germany.

Hodge, who was in the men's eight at Athens four years ago, appears to be in the box seat for a place at Beijing, but he will be taking nothing for granted over the coming months.

"I think the boat we've got now is what Jurgen will want to be taking to Beijing," said Hodge of himself and team-mates Tom James, Peter Reed and Olympic champion Steve Williams.

"But you never know what's going to happen."

Despite Hodge's own Olympic ambitions, he has to remain conscious of the team ethic of the men's four.

"You have got to get the most of the three people around you," he added.
"You have always got to think of yourself as a team."

Hodge is eager to get to Beijing to avenge what he calls the 'ghosts of Athens'.

"We had a horrendous time," he admits.

"And I've had such a good four years since then that I want to prove that I'm not peaking too early or for the wrong races."

"It's about a programme designed to peak at the Beijing Olympics."

"Getting to the Olympics is a big deal. It's not just the winning, it's proving you can get there."

The Munich regatta begins on Thursday, May 11 and runs until Sunday, with the remaining World Cup races at Lucerne in Switzerland and Poznan in Poland, when the final four will be decided.

Tell us what you think at the bottom of the page.