Chasing its fourth Boat Race triumph over Cambridge in six years, Oxford University included a Beijing Olympic silver medalist on its crew when the line-ups were announced yesterday for the 155th annual race on 29 March.

The line-ups also included three Americans on each crew and other international rowers from Croatia, Poland, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands and New Zealand.

Colin Smith was on the British team that finished second to Canada in the eights final at the Olympics and will be in the Dark Blues crew along with two international stars returning from two years ago, Ante Kusurin from Croatia and Polish rower Michal Plotkowiak.

"I believe that we have one of the strongest Oxford crews in years," head coach Sean Bowden said ahead of the race along the River Thames. "We have a technically strong and experienced crew but we still recognize the challenge that Cambridge represent this year and we are continuing to push ourselves to prepare for the Race."

Cambridge has five returning from last year's defeat including American rower Ryan Monaghan.

"I've pushed them harder on occasions than they have been pushed before," said Cambridge head coach Chris Nilsson. "But we had to go there and they now know what they are capable of. We are up against a much stronger boat but I still believe we can win."

Cambridge leads Oxford 79-74 with one dead heat in a race first staged in 1829.