A golden age : the autobiography

To date, Steve Redgrave has won a record-breaking four Olympic gold medals and eight world championships for his spectacular rowing achievements, and is consequently regarded with awe by rivals, crew-mates and top sportsmen alike.

Now, at the age of 38, Steve is bidding to win an unprecedented fifth gold medal at Sydney.

Win or lose, it will mark the end of a remarkable twenty-three year long career.

The autobiography that marks the end of this career will discuss Redgrave's partnerships with Matthew Pinsent and first partner Andy Holmes, with whom he had a tense relationship.

He will talk about the difficulty of maintaining a balanced family life when work is always a priority, and his attitude to his honeymoon was concern at its disruption to his training schedule.

Redgrave will also describe about the strain of battling against the odds with the debilitating diseases of both colitis and diabetes.

This honest autobiography promises to be a fascinating insight into the lifestyle and history of one of Britain's most motivated and successful sportsmen.