BEIJING, May 29 -- Five-time Olympic rowing champion Sir Steve Redgrave has been appointed high-level performance director for China's national rowing team.

Redgrave was welcomed to his new role by Liu Aijie, chairman of the Chinese Rowing Association, who added that he was looking forward to future improvements in the standard of Chinese rowing under Redgrave's lead.

The Briton is said to have full responsibility for the Chinese national rowing team’s training program. He will also be tasked with implementing a youth development program and a coach training system, as China seeks to improve the standard of rowing in the country.

Redgrave is widely considered one of the greatest rowers in history, winning gold medals in five consecutive Olympic Games and nine World Championships. Retiring from competitive rowing after winning gold at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, Redgrave then became a high-level sports performance expert in England.

During the bidding for the 2017 London Olympic Games, Redgrave was actively involved in UK Sports' youth development plan, and had the honor of carrying the Olympic torch into the stadium during the Games' opening ceremony.

China's only previous Olympic rowing gold medal came in the women's sculls at the Beijing Games in 2008. Redgrave's appointment comes after the Chinese Rowing Association last year publicly stated its goal to win at least two gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

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