HE MAY have failed to top the podium at either European or World Championship level this season, but Olympic sprint canoe champion Ed McKeever insists there is no need to panic as he continues on the road to Rio 2016.

Back in 2012, Bradford on Avon’s McKeever became Britain’s second-ever Olympic canoe sprint gold medallist when he stormed to victory in the K1 200m single final.

The success made it a complete set of major international golds for McKeever, following his stellar year in 2010 which saw him crowned both European and World champion over the same distance.

Since then, illness has hampered his progress, although he did still come away with K1 200m European silver and double world bronze in the 200m and 4x200m events this summer.

But McKeever – who is currently undertaking winter training six days a week – insists he has plenty of competitions lined up next summer for him to get his teeth stuck into ahead of peaking for Rio 2016.

“This last year I was second at the European Championships and third at the Worlds,” said McKeever, speaking at a Get Set to Make a Change event, a programme that looks to keep the spirit of London 2012 alive.

“Obviously it’s nice to win but that doesn’t happen all the time. I’m confident that I know what I’m doing at this stage of an Olympic cycle.

“There’s definitely something to aim for over the next two years to get back on top of the pile.

“Next year we’ve got World Cup races and we’ve got the European Games in Baku which for me is quite important.

“It’s the only time outside of the Olympics I get to compete in a multi-sport event. It’s fantastic so I’ve put that on the calendar.

“And then next August will be in the World Championships in Milan which is the Olympic qualification so I’ll be up for that.”

Having achieved gold-medal success at every level, the 31-year-old could be forgiven for entertaining thoughts of slowing down.

But he said: “It’s two years since the last Games and two years to the next Games. It goes so quickly.

“Obviously having a gold medal is great but I still have that determination to carry on to Rio.

“My London gold medal is tucked away in a drawer at home, it’s almost kind of irrelevant. Now I want to go to Rio and do my best there.”

  • Through GSTMC, the British Olympic Foundation, in conjunction with the British Paralympic Association is using the spirit of the London Games to re-inspire young people across the UK. The project is being supported by a £2.5m grant from the Big Lottery Fund’s Keeping the Spirit of 2012 Alive campaign. http://www.makeachange.org.uk/

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