By Pete Whitfield, PA Sport, Sydney

Steve Redgrave pleaded with the Government not to cut National Lottery funding for Britain's top athletes.

Redgrave, Britain's most successful Olympian after striking rowing gold for a fifth successive Games, insists the time is right to build on the success story in Sydney and is alarmed at talk of funding being 'streamlined'.

Britain had won 25 medals - nine gold, 10 silver and six bronze - by the end of Day 15 in Sydney and Redgrave, who claimed one of two British rowing golds in the coxless four, does not want the momentum to be lost in the build up to Athens 2004.

"Rumour has it that the budget will be cut," said Redgrave. "If that does happen it would be a big mistake.

"Funding needs to be long term. If we can do this well here we can do better in the future.

"What we've done here is a good platform but there is no reason why we can't go on and compete for medals with the likes of Australia, Italy and Romania.

"Hopefully, we can move on as a country from strength to strength.

"As a sport we've (rowing) done very well out of Lottery funding and in my view the (men's) eight wouldn't have won gold if they hadn't been funded by the Lottery."

There have been signs that those fears may not materialise after Prime Minister Tony Blair this week pledged £750million for school sport, keeping Lottery funding available for other areas such as top athletes.

And British Olympic Association chiefs have vowed to fight for the current level of funding to be maintained on the back of the success enjoyed in Sydney.

BOA chairman Craig Reedie said it was "inconceivable" that there should be any cuts.

And BOA Chef de Mission Simon Clegg saluted what he called "the grass roots of recovery" after the disappointing performance in Atlanta four years ago where Britain managed just 15 medals and only one gold.

Reedie said: "I am the deputy chairman of UK Sport and I'm not about to allow a cut in funding after a success like this.

"There has been a huge increase in Government funding and we have proved that it (lottery funding) works.

"Barcelona was regarded as reasonable in terms of medals but Atlanta was regarded as very unreasonable.

"It takes us a while in Britain to get things right but we have got it right now.

"I can't remember a Games where we have had better back up for the athletes and it's inconceivable, with the success of this team, that there can be any cut in the funding."

Clegg savoured the medal success story in Sydney hailing "our most successful team since Paris 1924", and insisted there is no reason why Britain cannot push on and overtake several European rivals who have won more medals Down Under.

But Clegg admitted that the BOA will review the performances of each sport in Sydney.

"I understand the Secretary of State (Chris Smith) has said there will be no cuts to the overall pot," said Clegg, "but each sport will have to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis."

Clegg did not single out any sports when adding "some sports here have under performed and that will have to be looked at", but Britain's swimmers maybe be worried after failing to win a single medal in Sydney.

"There will be a debriefing in three weeks' time when we will go through the review of each sport," revealed Clegg.

"British sport has suffered from severe under funding for the last 30 years but what we're seeing now is the grass roots of recovery.

"Against the performance in Atlanta results here have been good but we must not be complacent.

"There is no reason why the likes of Holland, France, Italy, Romania and Australia should be above us in the medals table.

"We have much to do over the next four years in the build up to Athens," said Clegg.

"Many of the governing bodies in British sport still have to undergo a fundemental change to become more athlete-centred but we'll take that challenge seriously.

"Also, hopefully, we (BOA) can attract increased funding in the form of sponsorship deals on the back of the success we've had here.

"We didn't have a gold medal target but the results have been very encouraging and our expectations have been exceded."

Clegg saluted Australia for delivering a successful Games in Sydney.

"It has been a wonderful festival of sport. The Australians promised to deliver an athletes' Games and they have done that."