Ref. 71854-03AS Swindon's Olympic hopeful Matt O'Dowd makes the finishing touches to his marathon preparation, his family are packing their suitcases for Athens.

But they say they are increasingly nervous after Matt's teammate Paula Radcliffe, who was the race favourite, broke down and failed to finish the gruelling course in the women's marathon.

The O'Dowd family is set to fly to the Greek capital on Friday to cheer on 28-year-old Matt, who will race in the 26-mile event on Sunday.

Matt's brother James, 13, sister Emma, 24, and mum Karen, 49, and her partner Mark will all be travelling to Athens.

James says he is really excited about the trip and will be giving his older brother his full support.

"It's great that he's going to be competing at the Olympics and we're all excited about going out there," said the Commonweal pupil.

But mum Karen is feeling the nerves after Radcliffe's devastating performance.

"It's such a tough course in that heat and so much of the course is uphill," she said.

"Paula really suffered with it if she can suffer so can anyone else.

"There's not a right or wrong way to run it. She ran her normal style, but it affected her badly. Matt always said the Athens course would throw up a lot of surprises."

The family has booked a hotel on the outskirts of the city and will see Matt, who is currently at the British training camp in northern Cyprus, before he competes.

Mum Karen has already received several e-mails from her son since he has been in Cyprus and last heard from him on Saturday.

"I think he is acclimatising well," said Karen, of Rodbourne.

"It's very hot out there so I think training has been quite difficult.

"He's really enjoying it and the athletes are working together and supporting each other.

"Paula is different to the other athletes. She was running to win a medal, while the other two British women ran brilliantly to finish in the top 30."

Matt will leave the British training camp and travel to the Olympic village on Wednesday to make final preparations.

"I'm very proud of him and excited, but I'm nervous too," said his mum, a mortgage advisor.

"I always get very nervous before he races and this is the biggest race of his life."

Matt, a Swindon Harrier, started competing at the age of 11 and his mum said she never imagined back then she might one day see her son compete as an Olympic athlete.

Emma-Kate Lidbury