Anna is shocked by early exit

Aug 20 2008 By Matthew Davis In Beijing, Surrey Herald

Elmbridge canoeist Anna Hemmings is utterly shell-shocked after crashing out of the K2 women's 500m event at the first hurdle on Tuesday.

The Elmbridge Canoe Club member and her partner Jessica Walker failed to hit their straps at the Shunyi Olympic Park,eventually finishing ninth in their heat in a time of 1.47.435 minutes. German duo Fanny Fischer and Nicole Reinhardt qualified in first spot with Poland and the Czech Republic in second and third respectively.

And after paddling alongside Walker for eight months, 31-year-old Hemmings - who reached the semi final of the individual kayak in Sydney - was simply lost for words. Shattered Anna said: "It wasn't enough. "It's devastating. "It was tough to get here in the first place,and once you get here it's really tough. "I am glad I have been here but it's just disappointing to go out in the heats. "Jess is a really great athlete, she's really young and talented and she's got a lot in her and a big future."

Flat-water canoeing team leader Alan Williams said: "It was a very tough race; there were no easy boats in their heat - but the girls will still be dreadfully disappointed. "They perhaps went out a little but slower than they needed to do to get into the race.

"The time doesn't reflect what they can do, so they will be so disappointed but it is still a good learning curve for Jessica who is the youngest competitor at the Games in canoe kayak. "So she will learn a lot from this I certainly think Jessica will be there in 2012 and up there challenging."

* Lloyds TSB, proud first partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and supporter of Team GB on their journey to 2012.