British athletes limber up for gold Saturday

British athletes began their push for a weekend Olympic gold rush today - with heptathlete Kelly Sotherton leading the way in Beijing's Bird's Nest stadium.

The 31-year-old Athens bronze medallist is hoping to be part of Britain's "Super Saturday" when Team GB are on the verge of clinching at least six gold medals in a single day.

Sotherton got off to a fine start by beating her previous best time in the 100-metres hurdles and was lying fourth out of 43 competitors in the early stages - although she was disappointed at failing to win the high jump section of the event.

Asked what might be the clinching factor over the two-day heptathalon, Sotherton said: "Personal best, personal best, personal best... all the way through."

The Birmingham-based athlete won the Commonwealth gold in Melbourne in 2006 and is a club mate of Sydney gold medallist Denise Lewis.

Team GB expect big things of her this time. "I've had a really unlucky year, my worst year ever for injuries, but I know I can perform and I know I can mix it with the best," she said. "I see myself as a realistic gold medal chance ."

Her fellow British athletes were in promising form on the first day of track events. The country's three 100-metre sprinters all eased through to the second round, with Tyrone Edgar the pick of the bunch after winning his heat in an impressive 10.13 seconds.

Simeon Williamson finished third in his heat in a time of 10.42 seconds, while Craig Pickering also qualified third from his heat which included Jamaican sprinting great Asafa Powell.

In the women's 800-metres, Marilyn Okoro and Jenny Meadows are in tomorrow's semi-finals. On "Super Saturday" tomorrow,

Team GB hopes to win at least six gold medals.

Ben Ainslie, 31, has the chance to become the greatest British sailor by winning his third consecutive gold in the Finn class event.

The "three blondes in a boat" - Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson - are favoured in the Yngling keelboat competition and Bradley Wiggins and Chris Hoy are tipped for gold in individual cycling events. In rowing, the Men's Four Tom James, Peter Reed, Andy Triggs-Hodge and

Steve Williams are a strong bet for gold while Rebecca Adlington, who has already won gold in the 400-metres freestyle swimming, is competing in the 800-metre event, her strongest event, having broken the Olympic record in the heats.