AWARD winning canoeist Johny Akinyemi is stepping up preparation for his second Olympic Games and says his previous experiences will help him this time around.

The 27-year-old from Locking Stumps, who competes for Nigeria from where his father’s family hails, failed to qualify from his heat after finishing 21st in the K-1 canoe slalom in 2012.

However, he qualified for this summer’s Games by winning the African Championships in Kenya last year and he says his experiences in London will help him in Rio.

“Because canoeing is quite a low-key sport, no other event compares to the Olympics,” he said.

“It was all very new to me, with the size of the crowds and everything else going on so sometimes nerves do get the better of you.

“Going through all that will serve me well and I hope the experiences I had in London will come in handy this time around.”

The former Culcheth High School pupil is gearing up for Rio by competing in World Cup races and attending training camps all over the world, including at the 2012 Olympic course at Lee Valley.

He will get to see the Rio course for the first time at a training camp next month and says he has heard good things about what is in store.

“It will be very different to London, it’s meant to be a nice course but I have heard it is a bit more physical,” he said.

“I’m doing a training camp out there in May and another one in June so I can’t wait to get out there and familiarise myself with the surroundings.

“Once I know what it’s like I can pick where to train so I can prepare in the best way possible for when the Olympics come around.

“Everything’s going well so far and it’s falling nicely into place.”

Akinyemi was honoured closer to home earlier this month, picking up the Sports Achiever prize in the Active Warrington Annual Awards.

Despite all his experiences in competing around the world, he says being saluted by his home town still feels special.

“It was a really awesome award to win, it felt like I was being patted on the back and told Warrington was proud of me,” he said.

“A lot of my funding has come from Warrington Borough Council and other sports bodies within Cheshire so I can’t thank them enough.

“All the help I have got from this town has opened a lot of doors for me so to be recognised with this award is brilliant.”

Other recipients of Active Warrington Awards:

Young Volunteer of the Year: Gabby Gibbons, North Cheshire Clarion

Volunteers of the Year: Ivan Hudson, Warrington PANDA’s, James Lee, Warrington Rowing Club

Young Sports Achiever: Lucy Glover, Warrington Rowing Club

Primary of the Year: Stockton Heath Primary

Secondary of the Year: Lymm High School

Special Recognition: Christine White, Warrington Town Netball Club

The Dave Connor Award: Warrington Wolves Foundation PAN Disability (PANDA’s) Football Club

Coach of the Year: Phil Hicken, Warrington Athletics Club Club of the Year: Warrington Running Club