With just a few short weeks to go until the start of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, expectation for Team GB's gold prospects is reaching fever pitch. And now sports fans can get the inside info on Britain's brightest hopes by logging on to a live web chat with British Olympic greats Jason Gardener and Craig MacLean, hosted by Eurosport commentator Tim Caple.

Tim Caple joins us today with Jason Gardener and Craig MacLean to discuss this prestigious event which begins on Friday 8th August. With Team GB's 2008 line-up including athletes such as top cyclists Victoria Pendleton and Mark Cavendish, triple jumper Phillips Idowu and diving sensation Tom Daley the Beijing Games promises to be a truly enthralling spectacle for all fans of world class sport. Which athletes could bring home medals this year? Olympic cycling gold medallist Craig and Olympic relay winning sprinter Jason will be on hand to take your questions and offer their unique inside perspective on all things Olympian. Log in to the chat and let the Games begin.

For more information visit http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/

H: Host Tim Capel
C: Craig MacLean
J: Jason Gardener

H: Hello and welcome to the Sports and Leisure show, I'm Tim Capel. Now the Beijing Olympic Games are just around the corner, and I think we're all excited at the most anticipated sporting event perhaps in history is finally here. Now with a record number of events and so much to see, Eurosport will devote it's entire channel, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from the opening ceremony to the closing ceremony, including 15 hours of live action daily highlights and news.  And these are some of the events that are going to fill your screens in the coming weeks
Video footage

H: Welcome back, now I'm delighted to be joined by two former Olympians from Sydney 2000, Olympic silver medallist Craig MacLean and Olympic gold medallist from 2004 Jason Gardener. Now normally we would start on the track, but this time after such an incredible World Championships I think we've got to start with the cycling. I mean it's been such an incredible year for you guys, for the whole team. What can we expect from team GB in this Beijing Olympic Games, and has the fact that you performed so well in the World Championships created a bit of a rod for your own back?
C: I don't think it's created a rod, I mean I think it's – it's given us a massive confidence boost if anything, and I think you know if we don't repeat that success in Beijing then naturally we're going to be disappointed. 

H: Brett Lancaster, I don't know whether you've ever heard of him, he's an Aussie, and he's been trying to stoke up a bit of rivalry between the Aussies and team GB – I mean is there anything like that that's going to knock them off their course or I mean are you so focused or are the squad so focused that nothing from outside is likely to actually push them off the track toward gold?

C: I shouldn't think team GB will be aware of it to be honest. I mean once, once you kind of get to the village, you're in a bit of a bubble and you're kind of very sheltered from what's going on in the media back home.

H: Jason, you took part in one of the great events back in 2004, I remember the night before the Olympic – 4 by 100 relay final – listened to Michael Johnson talking about the records that the USA team were going to break, and if you look at that team then – Green, Coby, Miller, Justin Gatlin was in there as well – there won't too many people outside of your own group that gave you too much of a chance

J: Yeah but I mean that's the thing, you know you can have 4 individually fastest sprinters but the relay is a team event and you know our team, you know had great camaraderie spirit, we'd worked with each other over a number of years. We had longevity in terms of winning Commonwealth games, European Championships, we'd played second fiddle to the US on the world stage with silver medals and bronzes, but when it mattered most we really did group together and pull off one of the shocking displays I think of Olympic Games

H: Now just to remind you this is a live show so if there are any questions you want to ask the guys in the studio about anything Olympic related then please just get it down on the box, press send and we'll do our best to answer it. Looking ahead then to the next few weeks in Beijing, I mean the Chinese are going to put on perhaps one of the great shows that we've ever seen of any sporting, sporting event. The opening ceremony though, it tends to bypass most of you guys by doesn't it because there's not too many of you in the early stages that are competing that attend

C: Yes I mean I've done two Olympics and I've never been to an opening ceremony yet, I've always watched it on television. The reason being you know it's quite a lengthy process and you know, quite detrimental to your performance potentially so I've always steered away from it which, you know I possibly regret but you know once you get the medal and – it makes up for it

H: How – I mean have you taken part in the opening ceremonies yourself?

J: No like Craig I've been to two Olympics, Sydney and Athens but we've usually been at holding camp.  We've had our own Olympic ceremony, I guess opening ceremony because what happened in Paphos was we had, you know we got round big screens and we had our own little kind of parade and stuff which was, which was great but I mean we're late on in a program in terms of the athletic schedule, so we tend to go down into the village about three days before we're due to complete because it is an extremely, you know hostile place at times

H: Let's get some questions coming in now. I've got one here from Paul who says "why do we not have as many competitive athletes in track and field? We appear to compete on a level playing field with other leading countries in the majority of other sports, from hockey, cycling, swimming etc, but we seem to have very few genuine world class prospects." Well I'll give the airways over to you on that

J: Yes well I think it's – you know certainly my event, the sprints, is mass participated, you know everybody, you know globally, gets a chance to you know, run – you don't need any equipment, you don't need any facilities, you ca n do it on a grass track, on a concrete road, so you can – you know it's quite an easy identification process, you know if you've not got that initial talent then you move on to different events. But I think it's – we've only had ten years of, you know of proper funding through – via lottery funding which has helped make our sport that much more competitive

H: Is this overall the best prepared, most focused team GB – I was referring in particular to the comments from the US performance director who was saying listen, this team GB, whatever they're saying don't let that detract you, I think they're going to finish fourth in the medal table this time, not in 2012

C: I think it's been a very linear progression over the last possibly three Olympics. And most of that is due to the advent of lottery funding, but you know I think because they've had this talent identification process in place for quite a few years now, I think the time we get to London it's going to be exponential, and you know everybody who goes there is going to be medal potential

H: Our best medal hopes are going to come where, on track and field?

J: Well I think everybody's expecting Phillips Idowu to bring back a gold, currently he leads the world rankings, he's unbeaten this year, and you know the messages from his camp is very, very positive

H: What about the peaking too soon? I mean we have seen him performing exceptionally well up until this point.  I mean 2004 wasn't a great time for him and the expectations were high. Is he going to be able to overcome that psychologically or will there still be something lurking in the back of his mind?

J: Well you know it's a difficult environment but he's changed some of his processes, he's got a new coach and it seems like it's a new Phillips Idowu out there. At times this year when he's, you know been under pressure he's actually come out and still delivered a winning performance.  You've got to remember his main opposition, Christian Olsen from Sweden is not going to be present at the games

H: Absolutely

J: He's ruled out with injury, so – but you know you don't give out gold medals at Olympic Games, so you've got to go out there and fight and earn it, but I think he is our best chance from track and field

H: What about Martin Rooney?

J: What a great prospect to tune into Eurosport and watch, you know he shot up the world rankings, I think he's 7th going into the Olympic Games. Genuinely I think there's a real chance of him getting a medal. But I think it'd be a fantastic achievement for Martin making it to the final, but having got to that position in making a final, he's got to go for a medal.  But you've got Jeremy Warrener whose out there with his fellow countrymen which  - a run of 43 seconds which is way off actually from what Martin's doing

H: Alistair at news.co.uk is saying here, this is to you Jason – "will this year's team be as good as last year's without yourself and Dwain?"

J: I think the team which are in place now are a well-rehearsed, well drilled team. They are a new team, they haven't got the experience, you can't buy experience, Darren's not there, I'm not there, Mark Lewis Francis isn't there, so that as I mentioned earlier on that's a wealth of experience which is you know started way back in the early '90s, so they're re-bonding, it's going to be difficult, the event's moved on, the US have made sure that they're not going to go there under-prepared as they did last time, and then you've got the advent of the Jamaican sprinters. It's going to be very, very difficult environment

H: Jamaican sprinters have not won any individual medals – individual gold medals since Don Quarry, I mean do you remember Don Quarry? I mean you're probably too young

J: I –

H: Do you remember Don Quarry?

J: Yes I know him –

H: '76 wasn't it?

J: Yes and I think I've seen a few like black and white video footage of him, but yes great athlete, but yes they're looking to dominate the world stage, but it's not going to be easy because as ever there's a great opposition from the US

H: Bit more on athletics in a minute. Let's go back to the track cycling. Nine individual
medals at this – at the World Championships. To follow that up is going to be very, very difficult indeed.  The names are becoming a bit more household now. Do you think you're getting the coverage and the press and the television that you deserve for the success that you've had?

C: I think so, it takes a long time to kind of filter through into the press and you know people are gradually turning on to, you know receive more mainstream coverage of it on television, which you know always helps. But you know I think anybody that's performing at the highest level in their sport deserves the recognition really

H: And I mean we were talking about the fact that you said anybody can put on a pair of running shoes and start to run, anybody can get on a bike and start to ride, I mean there's always the potential. I was reading the Career – a path of Shanaze Ri in the last couple of days and it's a great story, I mean to just go from being so single minded in her approach to her own goals and to remain focused and become what she is now before she's 20 years of age

C: Yes, yes

H: I mean it's incredible

C: I think Shanaze is an incredible talent and you know she kicks out more power than most of the guys on the squad as well and it's quite frightening to watch actually

H: I mean we tend to forget actually, if you go back to 2004, I mean nobody really expected Kelly Holmes to pick up the gold medals that she did, so maybe there is a chance of the likes of - we'll just go back to Martin Rooney to get in there and maybe pick up a bronze.  I mean he's got to overcome two very, very in-form athletes, one in particular who seems to be unbeatable yet again in Jeremy Warrener

J: Yes but I mean that's what sport's about, that's the greatest thing about it, you don't give out the gold medals before the event's taken place. I mean who would have thought we would have ended up winning and beating that mighty US team? But then there have been lots of twists and turns that should make great viewing

H: And Tim Hutchens did actually, he was giving you quite the sell at the time, I do seem to recall actually. Christine Ohuruogu –

J: World champion. So she's going to go into the Olympics you know expecting to do well. She is a world champion, and people will be expecting her to defend that and become an Olympic champion, but she's going to be pushed by her fellow country lady Nicola Sanders, but then there are a few other athletes which are going to be out there, because Nicola and Christine aren't top of the world rankings, they're quite a few places below. I think just touching the top ten

H: Yes

J: So it's not a formality.

H: Question from Amy from Birmingham – "which event do you see us collecting the most medals in?" Well I think that's yours isn't it?

C: Possibly, I mean the rowing traditionally always does very well.

H: Good archery team as well, both men's and women's this time

C: Right, right. And shooting we always pick up one or two there

H: Ah Mr Folds.  That's a good point actually. How important is it to get an early medal? I mean if you – Richard Folds did back in Sydney in 2000, picked up a very, very early gold medal and it seemed to galvanise and bolster the confidence levels in the rest of the squad.

C: Yes I think so, I mean Jason Queally winning one of the first golds in Sydney as well and everybody was just kind of elevated from that from then on

H: The Chinese are desperate to win the first gold medal aren't they? There's all sorts of conspiracy theories about timings of the shooting and getting their athletes in there to make sure that the world champions are performing at the right time. It's just a lot of bluster though really isn't it, it's just about luck on the day and at the time isn't it?

J: Well sport's a very complex business, I don't think there's that much luck floating around.  Well I certainly haven't had my fair share of it anyway

H: Macca's just sent this question through "do you se the Beijing Olympics as a good yard stick for how we will develop and have developed sport in general as a nation in preparation for 2012?

C: Yes I think so, as I said before you know I think we're going to have a lot of success at these games but it's going to be nothing compared to what we're capable of in London

J: Yes I think, you know I think it's very important to reiterate the fact, we are a small nation ok? We're competing against some very, very – you know dominant countries

H: A small nation of 58 million

J: Well but I mean if you look at the US, the Russians, the Chinese

H: Right

J: Right, in comparison you know we're talking about finishing 4th in the medal tables.  Globally sport is very competitive, other nations have been investing in their athletes for a lot longer. We're relatively new to this investment game, we're seen as a success in terms of cycling and from direct investment. And with athletics we've never won that many medals, but I think we can look ahead in four years time to improve success because there's some of the changes should come about with professionalism, we've moved from the amateur days to professionalism, will see, you know will see us do very well

H: The team USA, I was looking at the make-up of the overall team, if you just look back a year to the team that went to the World Championships in Osaka, 26 medallists, 14 of which are gold – they're all actually there. They think this is the strongest squad that they've ever assembled to take part in an Olympic games. Not good news for anybody else really is it? Certainly in track and field

C: I mean I'm sure the Chinese are going to be out to dominate and you know, just to prove that they are one of the best sporting nations in the world, and it's going to be hard to compete with that, especially on their own turf

H: Lastly what particular event, what race is going to be the defining moment for you for these Olympics?  What will you be going to watch that you will not miss?

C: Probably the individual sprint, I'll be looking out for the – Chris Hoy and Jason Kenny whose going to be competing in that as well, so that's of special personal interest to me

H: And your confidence is high in these Olympics that the success will be followed from these World Championships into the Olympics and we will come home with a bag full of medals?

C: I think it's the best prepared team that have ever gone to an Olympics

H: Brilliant. Jason, for you the defining moment of these Olympic games? What race would define it for you and who do you think is going to win it?

J: It's going to be obviously the world's fastest man of the 100m, and for me my money would be on Tyson Gay

H: Tyson – that's really interesting isn't it? After what we've seen from – you saying what we now know he's going to go for the 100 and the 200 and Asafa Powell who started to come good, posted his best time this year, what just over a week ago in Monte Carlo didn't he?

J: That's correct yes

H: Somebody said that usually with him it's a question of if it's over 80m or the 100m then you back him every time

J: Well I think you'd back him every time if it was out of a championship environment, but Tyson Gay's got a championship you know performance pedigree. Usain Bolt, yes he's got a pressure on him, he's the world record holder, he's been in two minds whether to run 100 or 200 or double up and I think, I think Tyson Gay knows exactly what he wants

H: Tyson Gay is fit, I mean there are those stories that were emanating over the past couple of weeks that there might be a slight hamstring problem, is that all just a bit of a smokescreen?

J: Well you know there's lots of games that are played, and maybe he's taken the pressure of him, maybe he's offloading the pressure onto the Jamaicans, but if he's going to be fit – he's run 977 this year and he's not going there to make up any numbers

H: And what about the race that many people say will define these games, the showdown between Dayron Robles of Cuba and Liu Xiang of China?

J: It's great viewing, very good

H: Is he – is he beatable?  Robles?

J: Well he's the world record holder, I think he's fantastic, he's a young talent and then there's that huge expectation on Liu Xiang's shoulders you know, on home soil, can that spur him on? He's the defending Olympic champion, can he do it again, it's not that often done, or repeated in history, so yes, got to tune in to Eurosport to watch that

H: That's absolutely right, gentlemen thanks very much for joining us and don't forget as we've said 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 15 hours of live action news, highlights, everything you need, when you need it, it will be there on Eurosport. Thanks very much for joining us