Grainger can be Marlow's X Factor winner (From Bucks Free Press)

Bucks star aiming for Games gold

2:40pm Monday 6th February 2012 in Latest News By Alan Feldberg

IF it's the X factor that can turn multiple world champion Katherine Grainger from a three-time Olympic silver medalist into a Games winner, then she believes she has it now going into London 2012.

The 36-year-old Marlow rowing star finished second in Beijing, second in Sydney and second in Athens.

But she has a new discipline and a new partner, and so far Grainger and Anna Watkins have been invincible in the doubles.

She said: "I think there's a little bit of the x-factor, there's a little bit of magic and I wouldn't be able to explain entirely why it works so well and part of me doesn't want to.

"It just is special and I don't think we should analyse it too much.

"When our boat works and it flies, it's the only place I want to be."

They powered to the world championships last year to keep their unbeaten sequence going, and they will start as hot favourites at Dorney Lake this summer.

Grainger said: "This will be my fourth Olympic Games in London, I've got three Olympic silver medals so clearly rather than having a fourth to complete the collection, I'd quite like a gold one now."