Brabants: I'm not counting my chickens

Aug 19 2008 By John Whitbread

Walton canoeist Tim Brabants set his sights on double Olympic gold after cruising in to the K1 500m semi finals.

Brabants' impressive display came just 24 hours after he had produced another flawless run to finish first in his K1 1000m heat with his time of 3.27.828 minutes enough to guarantee a place in Friday's final.

But the 31-year-old Elmbridge Canoe Club star won't be counting his chickens just yet after a similar display in Athens didn't equate to a medal as Brabants found himself off the pace in the 1000m final as he trailed home in fifth spot - six seconds slower than his best time.

And Brabants - who has three European golds and a world title to his name - admits confidence is high as he bids to exorcise his 2004 demons and better the bronze he claimed eight years ago in Sydney.

"To come away from this with two medals and one of them gold would constitute a good Olympics for me," said Brabants - who clocked a time of 1.36.338 minutes in the 500m event.

"The semi-final of the 500m is on Thursday - by winning by heat it puts me in the best position I could be in a semi-final it puts me in a centre lane.

"I get a rest day tomorrow so I will stay sharp and loose and getting ready for Thursday.

"The 1000m is where I am hoping to get my best result it is the event I am more confident in whereas the 500m is a new event for me and anything can happen."

And after a the spectacular success of Britain's cycling, sailing and rowing teams in the Far East, Brabants is determined to add his name to the list of newfound British stars in the next few days.

"The British team have done incredibly well we are third at the medals table and now it is my turn to try and add to that," he added.

"I am definitely better than I have been at the last two Olympics, I am older, fitter and stronger than I have been before and going a lot faster and consistent so I think the experience of the last two Olympics has helped."

"The 1000 went exactly to plan. I knew I was strong enough to win that heat with the idea of going straight to the final," said Brabants

"It was comfortable rather than easy. I have pushed myself harder than I ever had before and it's paying dividends. Some people said it looked easy but it is never easy in the Olympics when you have other world class athletes there.

His toughest competition comes in the form of 26-year-old Canadian Adam van Koeverden who won the second heat in a slightly slower time of 3:29.622m.

"He's my main rival for the medal, I'm the only person who has beat him this year," added Brabants. "I'd be pretty sure that whoever finishes ahead of him will finish on top of the podium and I just have to make sure that person is me."