Richard and Peter Chambers want to make history for more than just family reasons when they begin their London 2012 campaign today.

The past and present Oxford Brookes University students will become Britain’s first brothers to row in the Olympics since 1992 when they compete in the lightweight men’s four heats at 11.10am.

Lining up alongside Chris Bartley and Rob Williams, they are following in the wake of Greg and Jonny Searle, who rowed together in Barcelona.

The Searles won gold there, and the Chambers would love to emulate them on that front as well.

Richard, 27, was in the lightweight four who went into Beijing as world champions, but finished fifth at the 2008 Olympics.

Asked if that gives him extra motivation, he replied: “It does.

“Obviously we went to Beijing hoping to win and we didn't.

“We will definitely be able to take that experience into the Olympics.

“We will work hard and do all we need to do to get that gold medal.”

The men’s lightweight four won gold at the Munich World Cup regatta last month and feel they are coming into form at the right tiome.

Richard Chambers said: “We went into last year’s World Championships stronger than we had been before.

“We looked at how we can get better than that and we are now.

“We are stronger, we are fitter and the boat is moving quickly.

“We are not the finished product and we are under no illusions at all.

“But that is what drives us on.”

Having been named in that boat for the first World Cup of the season, the Chambers were always confident of making the Olympic boat.

But Peter, 22, said: “To have the seal on it all is pretty cool.

“We just had to make sure we kept up the good form and hopefully stay in the boat.”

Peter missed the second World Cup regatta in Lucerne due to a “slight twinge” in his back, but he is fully fit now.

Because Peter is on a year out from his sports science degree at Brookes, he has not had to worry about exams and coursework.

He said: “I will go back to Brookes in December and finish off then.”