1984 Los Angeles (Coxed Four)

Redgrave, who had been persuaded to take a break from sculling, began his incredible Olympic gold medal adventure in the Coxed Four on Lake Casitas, just outside Los Angeles.

Redgrave - along with fellow team-mates Martin Cross, Richard Budgett, Andrew Holmes and Adrian Ellison - saw off the home challenge to win by around 1.5 seconds. New Zealand won bronze.

1988 Seoul (Coxless Pair)

In 1986 Redgrave had joined forces with Los Angeles team-mate Andrew Holmes and within two years the pair had won the Coxless Pair title in South Korea.

The duo dominated the final in Seoul, leading from start to finish to win by over a second from their Romanian rivals. Within 24 hours they won bronze in the Coxed pairs.

1992 Barcelona (Coxless Pair)

Redgrave, who had been joined by new partner Matthew Pinsent, became only the third British athlete - and first in 72 years - to win golds in three consecutive Games despite falling ill before the Olympics.

The pair raced to the biggest victory of Redgrave's Olympic career, coming home on the waters at Banyoles little under five seconds clear of the Germans.

1996 Atlanta (Coxless Pair)

Redgrave's fourth Games gold came as he and Pinsent celebrated their 100th race together. Having built a lead of over 2.5 seconds at the halfway mark they finished comfortably clear of their Australian rivals.

Marlow-born Redgrave gave anyone permission to 'shoot him' should he step near a boat again as he recovered on Lake Lanier though within a year had announced his attention to bid for a fifth gold in a row in Sydney.

2000 Sydney (Coxless four)

Redgrave became the first athlete in the modern era to win gold medals at five successive Olympic Games.

Redgrave, Matthew Pinsent, Tim Foster and James Cracknell won the men's coxless four final in style. They led from the word go and held off all their rivals, Italy having to settle for silver and Australia the bronze.

It was Britain's first Olympic gold medal in the men's coxless four event since Los Angeles 1932 when John Badcock, Jack Beresford jnr, Hugh Edwards and Rowland George triumphed.