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ITN
Paddling doctor grabs gold
Paddling doctor grabs gold
Team GB got just what the doctor ordered today as qualified medic Tim Brabants scooped gold in his kayak. The 31-year-old athlete led from the start in the 1000m final at the Shunyi rowing park. Brabants, who lives in Walton-on-Thames, works as a hospital doctor when he is not competing. He came to the Olympics as World and European 1000m champion and bronze medallist at the Sydney Games and was one of the favourites heading into the final, having comfortably won his K1 heat earlier in the week. Brabants led from the start from Canadian Adam van Koeverden but it was defending Olympic champion, Norwegian Eirik Larsen, who came on strong at the finish to gain the silver medal. Chertsey-born Brabants, said:"That was exactly the race plan we wanted, that is what we have been working on all year in how to race an Olympic final." He added: "In the first two strokes there was no doubt I was going to win the race. No one was going to come past me, I felt fantastic. "I know it is easy to say when I won but right from the start line I was going to win the race. "Four years ago I had unfinished business. I was good four years ago but I wasn't this good." The result meant Britain had 18 gold medals after 14 days of the Games.
ITN | August 22, 2008
