CANOE/KAYAK: Angus Thompson has been selected as Australia’s lone representative to compete in Canoe/Kayak at the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Nanjing, China this August.
The 17-year-old races into the second installment of the summer Youth Games hoping to replicate the success of his training partner and Australia’s Young Ambassador at the 2014 YOG, Jessica Fox.
Fox won gold at the 2010 YOG in Singapore and then went on to win a silver medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games. She shares her coach, Myriam Fox (also her mother) with Thompson.
“Myriam is really good - very French,” Thompson said of his Olympic bronze medal winning coach.
“I enjoy how she encourages us to take pride in our paddling and strive to be our very best.”
The youngster began his paddling days on the Goulburn River in Victoria in the footsteps of his older brother Zac, now he rockets down the rapids at Penrith Whitewater Stadium.
In 2013 Thompson finished 21st in the K1 Slalom event at the 2013 Junior World Championships in Liptovsky Mikulas, Slovakia. This was followed by a 10th placing in the same event one year later at the 2014 Junior World Championships in Penrith.
With aspirations to represent Australia one day at the Olympic Games, Thompson has found himself in the best possible place for training and advice.
“I would love to represent Australia at the Olympic Games in the future, so I'm really hoping YOG will give me the added motivation to train harder and eventually realise that goal,” he said.
The Canoe/Kayak format at the YOG is very different to the Olympics. The Olympic Sprint discipline is altered to a Head-to-Head Sprint format, while Slalom becomes Obstacle Slalom.
“I think the Obstacle course will be easier because it requires skills similar to the ones I use on the whitewater: agility, balancing through turns and navigating the obstacles,” Thompson said.
Thompson is not overwhelmed by his coach, training partner or their results, but sees the Youth Olympic Games as major advancement in his sporting career.
“I think that it will be unlike any competition I've ever been in, it's certainly a huge leap forward for me- but other than that I don't know what to expect!”
Thompson has only been to Hong Kong for a brief stopover: “There was no time for paddling though so I'm looking forward to Nanjing,”
Sixty-four athletes from around the world will compete in Canoe/Kayak at the YOG, vying for one of eight gold medals on offer. The competition kicks off on 23 August at the Nanjing Rowing-Canoeing School and lasts for four days.
Frances Cordaro
olympics.com.au
@AUSOlympicTeam
2014 Australian Youth Olympic Team – Canoe/Kayak Section:
