OLYMPIAN Olivia Whitlam heads into Team GB’s overseas rowing camp tomorrow, Friday, having seemingly improved her chances of competing in London 2012.

But fellow Warringtonian Richard Egington will not be happy with his crew’s performance in the last race before Olympic action starts next month.

Daresbury 26-year-old Whitlam - one of 10 fighting for places in the women’s eight at Dorney Eton (with two to eventually go into the Olympics as reserves) - was in the boat that won a significant bronze medal in the Munich World Cup at the weekend.

Whitlam, a member of Agecroft Rowing Club in Salford, and her crew produced the best women’s eight performance of the year, giving them a platform of momentum going into a camp that will take them through to the start of London 2012.

Whitlam said: “I was in the bow seat and it felt at times like I was flying along. Caz (O’Connor, cox) really kept us focused and our heads in the boat.”

Third place was also achieved by 33-year-old former Lymm High School pupil Egington in the men’s eight in Germany but in contrasting circumstances.

Egington, confirmed in the men’s eight for his second successive Games, and his crew unexpectedly finished behind Poland and Australia on Sunday after beating them both to win the practice race 48 hours earlier.

Crews expected to be their major rivals in London, world champions Germany and Olympic champions Canada, sat out the event.

Both Egington, a silver medallist with the eight in Beijing, and Whitlam, a finalist in the women’s pair four years ago, are in relatively recent boat compositions and will feel they have much to work on in camp over the next month to raise their chances of medal success in London.