Ask yourself, Clint, do you feel lucky?
- 18th August 2008
Olympic Kayaker Clint Robinson is off to his fith Games in China, he will be supported by Reed property group.
SUNSHINE Coast kayaking great Clint Robinson’s fifth and final Olympic campaign starts today, 16 years after he shocked the world by winning Australia’s first kayaking gold as a teenager.
Robinson, 36 last month, will spearhead Australia’s K2 and K4 boats on the flatwater at Shunyi looking to add to his medal haul of one gold, one silver and one bronze.
A golden swansong would be as much of an upset as when the Sunshine Coaster stormed to the 1992 K1 1000m title in Barcelona as a 19-year-old.
The strong European nations of Germany, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia are the favourites in both team boats.
After surviving an off-water selection challenge by rejected paddler Luke Michael, Robinson will team with Tate Smith, David Smith and Tony Schumacher in the K4 1000m and then with Jake Clear in the K2 500m.
The veteran Queenslander was only a late confirmation for the K2 event after originally preferring to see the team’s sole focus go on the K4, which they medalled in on this year’s World Cup circuit.
But Australia bagged silver in the K2 at both Sydney and Athens, where Robinson combined with bitter rival Nathan Baggaley.
National champion and world No.4 Ken Wallace, who beat Robinson in an intense trial for the individual event, will make his Olympic debut today as a genuine contender in the K1 500m and 1000m.
Wallace’s best chance is in the 1000m but must overcome British world champion Tim Brabants and Canadian defending Olympic champion Adam van Koeverden.
Canoeist Torsten Lachmann (C1 1000m) and the women’s K4 500m crew of Chantal Meek, Lyndsie Fogarty, Hannah Davis and Lisa Oldenhof will also contest heats today.
Tune into the Olympics broadcasts to catch the kayaking from 3.30pm today
