CHINA: OLYMPICS BEIJING 2008: Canadian Olympic champion kayaker Van Koeverden confident of winning gold again
Record ID:
872604
CHINA: OLYMPICS BEIJING 2008: Canadian Olympic champion kayaker Van Koeverden confident of winning gold again
- Title: CHINA: OLYMPICS BEIJING 2008: Canadian Olympic champion kayaker Van Koeverden confident of winning gold again
- Date: 15th August 2008
- Summary: VARIOUS OF VAN KOEVERDEN AT PAVILION WOMAN WATCHING VARIOUS OF VAN KOEVERDEN PLAYING GUITAR GAME
- Embargoed: 30th August 2008 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: China
- City:
- Country: China
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA9J851HSZF7Y80CZAPTXPS1141
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: Canadian Olympic champion kayaker Adam van Koeverden, who will start as favourite in the men's K-1 in both the 500 metre and 1,000 metre races at the games in Beijing, said on Thursday (August 14) that he was proud to be representing Canada at the games.
"Well it's huge. I mean it's something that I have been working towards for a big part of my life and it's always been a big goal and aspiration of mine to represent Canada at the Olympics. So, in some ways it's a dream come true and in some ways it's sort of just one of those things I've got to do, that's unfolding slowly because I'm here to compete first and foremost and see how well I can paddle my kayak against the rest of the world," Koeverden told Reuters.
Van Koeverden, who stormed to the men's Olympic K1 500 metres title in Athens, said he had a good chance of going home from Beijing with at least one gold medal.
"I think they're quite good. As long as I race my best and produce my best performance I'm always expectant of hardware around my neck following the race. But it's all reliant on that key factor of me producing my absolute performance," he said.
Van Koeverden, who carried the flag for Canada at the opening ceremony in Beijing, said the experience filled him with national pride.
"Yeah, it was an amazing experience. Carrying the flag for Canada was incredible. I'm very honoured and privileged to be able to represent my country in that way and to lead the Canadian team into the Bird's Nest was a huge honour and an amazing opportunity for me. It just filled me with, you know a feeling of national pride and the feeling that you know I had a responsibility and an obligation to 30 million-plus Canadian fans back home to sort of give them a piece of the Olympic spirit and send it back home through waving the thing as hard as I could, so..."
Van Koeverden will face tough challenges from Britain's Tim Brabants and Norway's Olympic 1,000 metre champion Eirik Veras Larsen, among others. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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