Evers-Swindells rule out Beijing flag bearing role

Georgina and Caroline Evers-Swindells. Photo / Sarah Ivey

It looks as if the Evers-Swindell twins will not be carrying the flag for New Zealand at the opening ceremony at the Beijing Olympics.

On paper they looked almost certainties for the role as the only gold medallists returning from the previous Games in Athens, trumping the likes of other gold medallists Rob Waddell, Barbara Kendall and Mark Todd.

Georgina Evers-Swindell says the logistics mean it is impossible, given rowing starts on the opening day of competition and the athletes did not get back until 3am after the same event in Athens.

Georgina is looking forward to a winter at home on Lake Karapiro when they return from Europe this year. The rowers are discounting the change in temperature once they hit Beijing in the height of summer. She says they employed a similar strategy in 2005 when they went to the world championships in Japan and New Zealand won four gold medals in higher temperatures.

The Evers-Swindells are injury free as they prepare to head to Europe for what could be their final international campaign.

The men's and women's lightweight double sculls and the women's eight head overseas this weekend in a last attempt to qualify for the Games in Poland from June 15-18.

- NEWSTALK ZB