Olympic champions Tom Green and Jean van der Westhuyzen have been crowned 2024 Canoe sprint Grand Prix 2 and Oceania men’s K2 500 champions on the second day of racing at Sydney International Regatta Centre.
Green and van der Westhuyzen crossed the line in a time of 1:30.75, ahead of Australian team mates Noah Havard and Pierre van der Westhuyzen in second, and Riley Fitzsimmons and Jackson Collins in third.
Jean van der Westhuyzen said he was pleased to be able to execute their race plan, and come away with the win.
“That was the first big race in the year for us so it’s great to get another 500m in, and practice our race plan…and have a good crack,” van der Westhuyzen said.
“It’s so exciting, the Olympic year is awesome and there is a special energy towards it for sure.
“To tick another box on our journey towards that (Paris 2024) is fantastic, and we’re looking forward to the rest of the year,” he said.
Green said that while preparations for this Olympic cycle have looked a little different to Tokyo, the principle remains the same and their sights are set firmly on Paris 2024.
“Coming from Tokyo as our first Olympics, and also being the Olympic champs, there is obviously a bit of pressure that goes with that,” Green said.
“But we’ve tried to come in refocused because it is a different distance now, so it’s a bit of a fresh start in a way.
“We’re coming away from Tokyo with so much more knowledge and so many more learnings that we’ve been through that we can apply now,” he said.
In the women’s K1 500 final, New Zealand’s Aimee Fisher took out the gold medal while dual Olympian Alyce Wood finished second, the best placed Australian.
“That race was really exciting, having the Kiwis here and having Aimee here…she’s one of the best in the world so it’s great to be able to race against her in an Olympic year,” Woods said.
“The young girls in the squad are pushing me absolutely, they’re on my heels and ready to go.
“So it was a really exciting race, to be so close behind Aimee and the other girls so close behind me, it’s very cool and very exciting for our sport,” she said.
Wood’s silver medal today puts her in the best position possible to be nominated for her third Australian Olympic team.
“The last two years have been an absolute whirlwind, since Tokyo, falling pregnant with Florence, having the season I did last year, getting fifth at World Champs was an absolute dream.
“Now this year to be lining up, to be able to try for my third Olympics, it’s a thing that I obviously hoped for, but it was definitely a pipe dream.
“I put a lot on the line to be able to be here and to do this, my family has sacrificed a hell of a lot to allow me to do this.
“So it’s very special to be able to put my best foot forward and finish the race, a good race, and come off and give Florence and Jordan a big hug. It doesn’t get much better than that,” she said.
