ED McKeever will have to wait until just under seven weeks before Rio 2016 to find out if he’ll have the chance to defend his Olympic title.

The 31-year-old canoe sprint ace, who took gold in the men’s K1 200m at London 2012, failed in his attempts to secure qualification for next year’s Games after a disappointing performance at last weekend’s Canoe Sprint World Championships in Milan.

McKeever will now be forced to tackle a European qualifying event in Duisberg, Germany, next May.

The Bradford on Avon kayaker won his heat in 36.223 but finished fifth in his semi-final with a time of 35.743, leaving him to settle for a place in the B final.

Victory in that race would have still secured McKeever Rio qualification but the Wiltshire paddler could only mark his 10th World Championship campaign with disappointment as he crossed the line eighth (36.841).

“It’s really frustrating because training over the last few weeks has been really good,” McKeever told BBC Sport.

“It’s difficult to explain. I felt a bit flat. I was motivated but just didn’t perform.”

“I’ve got to go (to Duisberg) and prove my worth and come away with a good result. I’m more than capable of doing that.

“Watching the A final there was tremendously frustrating but hopefully that will drive me on and I’ll come back stronger next year.”

Meanwhile, there were contrasting fortunes for fellow Bradford on Avon athlete Hannah Brown as she secured a promising fourth-placed finish in the K2 200m alongside Emily Lewis.

The 25-year-old and her Worcester partner were third in their heat (38.866) as they qualified for the A final, where they finished 0.031 seconds off the podium in 39.519.

The K2 200m event isn’t an Olympic discipline.

Brown said: “We knew we could be in the fight for the medals, so to be so close is frustrating but amazing.

“We have had a wonderful time training together, so to come fourth at the Worlds is incredible.

“The women’s squad is really strong at the moment, so we will go back and put in a big winter and see what happens next year.”