Defending champ Brabants makes canoe final (From Swindon Advertiser)

Defending champ Brabants makes canoe final

1:33pm Monday 6th August 2012 in London Olympics 2012 - Latest News

Defending Olympic champion Tim Brabants sneaked in to the final of the men's canoe sprint today, admitting it would take something special just to make it on to the podium.

The 35-year-old has spent the past 18 months battling to recover from a tendon injury and looked well short of the early pace set by Canada's Adam van Koeverden. There were roars of delight from the crowd at Eton Dorney when it was announced he had qualified for Wednesday's final of the men's K1 1000 metres by only four hundredths of a second.

Speaking afterwards, Brabants, from Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, described the crowd as amazing. He said: "Coming in to that last bit, it hurts a lot in that last 100 metres but I had the crowd roaring up there and it just pushed me on.

"You heard a lot of other athletes talking about it last week, about how the crowd pushes you on, but until I was out there doing it I didn't appreciate the impact it has."

He added: "I still feel like I am on an upward trajectory, I hope. It hasn't been easy and these guys are performing exceptionally well at the minute and it is going to take a really special thing for me to just to make it on the podium on Wednesday.

"But I feel in good shape and I am hoping for a good result."

Brabants said he planned to spend today recovering, before light training tomorrow.

In the men's C1 1000 metres, Richard Jefferies failed to make it through to the final. His best event is the men's C1 200 metre sprint later in the week but he said it was good to experience the atmosphere early on.

While waiting for his event, he has been watching the games on the television.

The 25-year-old from Loughborough, Leicestershire, said: "The athletics the other night was awesome. It was 10pm and I was buzzing. You're thinking 'I have a race in two days and I need some sleep'."

In the women's K4 500 metres, Jess Walker, Rachel Cawthorn, Angela Hannah and Louise Sawers made it through to the final on Wednesday.