Norbert Ladermann, coach of two-time Olympic champion Ekaterina Karsten in women's single sculls of rowing, told Xinhua on Saturday that Karsten is ready for an Olympic showdown.

"I think she is in good shape because in the season she won every race."said Ladermann.

Ever since the year of 2005, Karsten has been in a wining streak, winning all world championships and World Cups.

Karsten is a two-time Olympic champion, having won gold medals in women's single sculls in 1996 Atlanta Olympics and in 2000 Sydney Olympics.

In 2004 Athens Olympics, she lost to Katrin Rutschow-Stomporowski of Germany, finishing with a silver medal. She has also won the World championships in the event in 1997, 1999, 2005, 2006, and 2007.

"Normally we train in Germany. Before we came here we went to Minsk of Belarus for three days and then we started to come to Beijing."said Ladermann:"We came here on July 27th when the venue was open."

Karsten, whose maiden name is Khodotovitch, is married and lives with her German husband and daughter in Potsdam of Germany.

"Maybe four or five times we go to Belarussia one year. In the preparation for the Olympics we stayed there for two weeks and trained in Belarussia." Ladermann added.

Ladermann tipped Karsten's main rival as Mirka Knapkova of Czech Republic, who came second in both 2005 and 2006 world championships.

"And maybe girls from China, Romania and New Zeland are also strong."

China's Zhang Xiuyun, a 1996 Olympic silver medalist in women's double sculls, won a third place in single sculls in the World Cup in Lucerne of Switzerland in 2008.

Ladermann noted that pre-Olympic training is the same as usual.

"We have normal training and train everything including mentality."said he:"(Olympics) it's only a regatta, a special regatta. Our preparation is for every competition as normal."

Beijing Olympics will be 36-year-old Karsten's fifth edition.

(Xinhua News Agency August 3, 2008)