British hopefuls set sights on a golden weekend

In the vernacular of our friends at Sky, tomorrow is going to be Super Saturday and it will be quickly followed by Sensational Sunday. And if at the end of it, we are not looking at a gold medal tally coming somewhere close to the nine the team won in the whole of the Athens Games, then it will be seen as grievous disappointment.

For the middle weekend, which has traditionally been a fertile medal-hunting ground at the Games with all the rowing finals held then, this year also features at least three track cycling races in which British golds are a distinct possibility, one athletics hope, plus two sailing finals in which Team GB are currently setting the pace. Oh, and that splendidly unexpected bonus - a swimming final in which we can boast the hot favourite.

In the rowing finals over the weekend, three British boats look to be favourites - but other medals could come.

So here's the fantasy scenario. Set your alarms for 3.13am British time tomorrow to see swimmer

Rebecca Adlington win her second gold of the Games in the 800 metres freestyle before watching Ben Ainslie in the Finn, and Sarah Ayton's crew in the Yngling secure victory in sailing medal races from 6am.

The men's coxless four will then defend their rowing title at 10.30am before at 11.55am Bradley Wiggins (individual pursuit) and at 12.30pm Chris Hoy (keirin) may strike gold in the veldodrome and, at the Bird's Nest stadium, Kelly Sotherton's quest for heptathlon victory will conclude with the 800m at 2.45pm.

On Sunday, more chances in the rowing finals - Zac Purchase and Mark Hunter in the lightweight double sculls (8.50am) and Kath Grainger's women's quad (9.30am) the most outstanding - will be a warm up for Rebecca Romero's bid for pursuit glory at the velodrome (10.05am).

Should everything go perfectly, then the team would be looking at 10 gold medals in two days.

Unthinkable? Very probably but actually we're forgetting something here. There's the little matter of Paula Radcliffe, starting her marathon bid at midnight on Saturday.

Frankly, it would be little short of an athletic miracle, after her injury-wrecked preparations, for Radcliffe to now finally land the one gold her magnificent career merits but there ought to be plenty of other highlights to ensure that chef de mission Simon Clegg and co don't wake up to Miserable Monday.