Beth Tweddle among top Brits chasing medals

Gymnastics star Beth Tweddle is among top Britons chasing medals across the gamut of sports at the London Olympics on Tuesday, with the hosts yet to take their first gold as the action gathers pace.

Competitors from Team GB are tipped for strong performances in canoe slalom, diving, equestrianism, football, rowing and sailing among many others.

Britain's women gymnasts go into the team final at North Greenwich Arena on a double high after the men's team grabbed bronze on Monday and in the wake of a stunning performance by Tweddle in Sunday's qualifiers, when she beat defending Olympic champion He Kexin of China with a huge leading score of 16.133 in the uneven bars.

Despite playing down Britain's chances of a medal, Tweddle said she and her team-mates could take a lot of encouragement from their performance on Sunday, when they qualified in fifth place.

"There's America, China, Russia, Romania -- they're your powerhouses of women's gymnastics," she said.

"We're a step below that, unfortunately, but we're moving up the ranks. Four years ago we couldn't even make it to a team final and now we've clearly made it."

Britain's eventing team are in silver medal position going into the final day's showjumping in Greenwich Park, lifted by an impressive showing from the Queen's grand-daughter Zara Phillips.

Zara's father Mark Phillips was in the team the last time Britain won the eventing gold in 1972.

"I am so pleased. It was hard work but a great feeling. The crowd was unbelievable and the best thing is that it is my wedding anniversary today," said Zara, wife of former England rugby captain Mike Tindall.

Her family was out in force on Monday, with Prince William, his wife Catherine, his brother Prince Harry and Camilla, the wife of Prince Charles, among the 50,000 crowd lapping up the helter-skelter action from Greenwich Park.

After a foot perfect round on former racehorse High Kingdom, Zara punched the air in delight, gleefully acknowledging the cheers from spectators.

"They were so loud, you couldn't hear your stopwatch beeping," the 2006 world champion said.

An even bigger crowd is expected at Wembley, where Britain's women footballers take on Brazil to decide who will finish top of their group.

Both teams have chalked up 1-0 wins over New Zealand but Brazil's 5-0 thrashing of Cameroon outshone even Britain's 3-0 victory over the African team.

However, GB coach Hope Powell declared after the Cameroon game: "I'm pleased with the result. I'm never really satisfied and there is always something to work on, and we should have scored seven."

Home diving hopes rest with Tonia Couch and Sarah Barrow in the women's synchronised 10m platform final, after Tom Daley and Pete Waterfield managed only fourth place in the men's event.

Another British woman will be the spotlight at the swimming gala, where Ellen Gandy takes to the water in heats of the 200m butterfly as she bids to match or improve on her silver medal in last year's world championships.

Among the men, 2004 bronze medallist Nick Dempsey starts his challenge in the RS:X sailing class in Weymouth while the Great Britain's lightweight rowing four of brothers Pete and Richard Chambers with Chris Bartley and Rob Williams contest the semi-finals of their event at Eton Dorney.

David Florence, silver medallist in C1 canoe slalom at the Beijing Olympics and current world number one, goes for gold at the Lee Valley White Water Centre, where the semi-finals and finals both take place on Tuesday afternoon.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/beth-tweddle-among-top-brits-chasing-medals-085046435--oly.html

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