Paddle power (From Warrington Guardian)

Paddle power

MALCOLM Johnson has set his sights on reaching next year's Olympics after helping Britain to a World Cup canoeing final.

The 24-year-old recently returned from the gruelling flat course championships in Spain, where he also made it to the semifinals of the individual competition.

"It would mean everything to be selected for the Olympics," he said. "They are the pinnacle of every sportsman's career. It's the whole point of what I'm doing."

Malcolm helped the British four man kayak team to seventh place in Seville - and finished half way up a field of 30 competing in the individual races.

The results consolidated his position in the British flat racing top 10 and established him as a serious contender for the Olympics.

Qualification for the team aiming to bring a flat course medal back to Britain for the first time in 60 years get underway next year. It's a lengthy process and Malcolm knows he's got to put together a string of top class performances if he's going to get all the way to Sydney. "I've got to see how this summer goes," he said. "If it goes well I know I'll just have to get my head down and go for it."

Malcolm moved to Hartford six months ago after landing a teaching job at Altrincham Prep School. He's been canoeing seriously for six years after trying the sport as a teenager in his native North East.

But as his ambition has grown, so has the length of time he spends training.

"I train twice a day, six days a week," he said.

"I do running and weight training in the mornings and paddling when I get back from school."

His next big event is an international regatta in Belgium - a trip which will make him even more of a role model for the children he teaches.

"I think it's good for the kids," he admitted. "I try and speak to them about competition which is important whatever sport you do.

"I enjoy the direct competition you get in my sport. If you don't win you know you're not fastest and that's a powerful incentive."

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.