Sir Steve Redgrave exclusive: I'd love to light the flame (but my phone hasn't rung yet…)

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UPDATED:

21:45 GMT, 9 May 2012

Sir Steve Redgrave knows to the minute when he will lay his hands on the Olympic torch, which begins its marathon journey to London from the ancient Greek birthplace of the Games in Olympia on Thursday.

'July 10, 7.30 in the morning, at Henley-on-Thames,' the five-time gold medallist told Sportsmail on Wednesday. But will Britain's greatest Olympian be given a second opportunity to carry the torch, perhaps even to light the flame in the cauldron at the opening ceremony

Flying the flag: Five-time Olympic champion Sir Steve Redgrave at the launch of the legends coin collection

WHAT HAPPENS TODAY

9.30am – The flame ceremony starts at the Temple of Hera in ancient Olympia, with Lord Coe in attendance.
9.55 – The High Priestess and Priestesses hand the flame to the first torchbearer, Greek world champion swimmer Spiros Gianniotis, who was born in Liverpool.
10.15 – The flame leaves the stadium on its journey around Greece. Thurs 17 – Flame departs for a 70-day tour of Britain.

'I hope so,' Redgrave confessed with an honesty that others might have eschewed for fear of sounding bumptious or tempting fate. No way. He never comes across as big-headed.

'No one believes me but I honestly don't know. The phone has not rung yet. The bookmakers have me as favourite, which is disappointing in some ways. The organisers always like to conjure up a surprise and it would not be much of a surprise if the strong favourite was chosen.

'It would be amazing, though. I would love to have that honour but I do not think it is going to happen.'

Redgrave and Sir Matthew Pinsent, his subsequently beknighted buddy in a boat, were standing about five yards from the archer who so spectacularly lit the cauldron with a flaming arrow in Barcelona in 1992.

Four years earlier in Seoul, Redgrave watched as some of the doves released as a symbol of world peace were burned alive in the lighting ceremony. Not the sort of surprise the London Organising Committee (LOCOG) will be contemplating.

Four men in a boat: Redgrave won his fifth gold medal at the Sydney Olympics

History suggests London will look to do something different. So if not Redgrave, then who

'I would maybe look to people before my era,' he said. 'Dame Mary Peters is a possibility. She is a British icon who has done so much and she is greatly loved. I would not mind it being Sir Roger Bannister. Even though he was never a great Olympian, you have to consider what he has done within sport and what he stands for. And he is such a lovely guy. I would love to see Matthew (Pinsent) involved.

'I went to the stadium twice last week, on Wednesday and Saturday, and I looked around for any tell-tale signs of what the cauldron would be like. Nothing, absolutely nothing. That's what I expected, but it did not stop me looking.'

Redgrave turned 50 seven weeks ago, a difficult age for any retired sportsman, especially one who had been required to maintain an extraordinary level of fitness for so many years. So, how did he celebrate the milestone He trained.

Brit of a legend: But Redgrave admits he's in the dark over who will carry the torch

'For a change,' he joked. 'I was nearly always in the gym or on the water on my birthday. I was training for the Devizes to Westminster canoe marathon. We did not complete the course. Instead, we did the well-known Devizes to Windsor race!'

Redgrave is in constant demand, not surprisingly. Tuesday night saw him filming for an episode of the Great British Menu; yesterday morning he braved the drizzle on the South Bank when launching a commemorative collection of a dozen medallions depicting some of Britain's greatest Olympians and Paralympians.

Redgrave was draped in the Union Flag in a photo-opportunity designed to recreate his historic fifth gold-medal winning moment in Sydney 12 years ago. Pretty much everyday wear for someone who readily wears the British flag, both literally and metaphorically. He is a paid ambassador for Team GB and an enthusiastic unpaid supporter.

With just a hint of restraint. 'No, this is not the best ever British Olympic team,' he declared.

Golden boy: The British rower, seen here celebrating his fifth triumph, is an Olympic legend

'This is the best British Olympic team for 100 years. We will not come anywhere near our gold medal tally of 56 in London in 1908. We are not in that league. But I think it will be our second best. We won 19 gold medals four years ago and that will be really tough to pass. But I think we will manage to get into the low twenties, maybe 21. As for total medals, more than 50. We managed 47 in Beijing.'

The world, the Games and Britain's preparation have all changed dramatically since Redgrave first competed in 1984. The British Olympic Association was no more than a travel agent then. Now, it is at the heart of making sure athletes have everything they need in order to take some of the doubt out of preparation. Redgrave has no doubt the atmosphere will be tremendous.

He said: 'I was in the Olympic Park at the weekend. Even though only hockey, athletics and polo were going on, I could sense a noticeable buzz on a very cold, damp day as I walked from one venue to another.'

He sounded less confident about the transport, remembering how catastrophic transport arrangements forced him to move out of his accommodation in Atlanta in 1996.

'It will not be that bad,' Redgrave said. 'But despite being last to leave, it took us an hour to get out of the car park on Saturday. None of the taxi drivers taking me to the Olympic Park were able to find the way in. Signs are temporary and the postcodes are not yet registered on satellite navigation systems. But that is what test events are for. When I was part of the bid committee, transport was my main concern. All the transport people insisted it would not be a problem. I warned them not to underestimate how many people will want to come to the Olympics. There will not be many empty seats. We Brits will watch anything.'

For Redgrave, the most desirable ticket would be track cycling. And the person he most wants to win gold is yachtsman Ben Ainslie 'because he has not received the recognition he deserves'.

Most of all, Redgrave would want to be competing.

'I would give my right arm to be involved in a home Games, even though that would not be any good for rowing.' He might need his right arm for lighting the flame.

Sir Steve Redgrave is one of 12 British Olympic and Paralympic legends featured in a series of medallions created to support Team GB and ParalympicsGB, available from BP forecourts now. www.bp.com/medallions