Staff GB’s Liam Heath misses out on retaining his K1 200m title after poor begin in closing scuppers his probabilities… however he does declare bronze on the Tokyo Olympics with Hungary’s Sandor Totka clinching gold
Liam Heath landed bronze within the males’s K1 200m occasion on Thursday morning after a sluggish begin scuppered his possibilities of efficiently defending his Rio title.
The 36-year-old from Guildford certified second quickest within the semi-finals on the Sea Forest Waterway earlier however a poor begin – his weak spot all through this week – meant he was unable to overtake Hungary’s Sandor Totka, who took gold in 35.035seconds.
Heath completed simply behind with 35.202s. Manfredi Rizza of Italy, took silver.
Liam Heath took residence bronze within the K1 200m occasion after a poor begin scuppered his probabilities
Heath, who set an Olympic-best time of 33.985s throughout Wednesday’s qualifying, was bidding for a fourth Olympic medal following earlier K2 dash success on the Rio Video games and London 2012.
‘I used to be a bit hesitant off the beginning and maybe did not attain my full potential when it comes to peak velocity,’ admitted Heath. ‘I am nonetheless proud of my efficiency.’
He then paid tribute to his household and assist group after touchdown a medal at a 3rd successive Video games, saying: ‘It is exhausting to place it into phrases actually, it is what you are working in direction of simply to be at your greatest for these occasions. I realized a lot alongside my journey.
‘Every Video games, every competitors you be taught much more about you, the folks you are competing towards, folks you’re employed with day in day trip. It is then working the toughest behind the scenes which offers the assist for me to have the ability to obtain my goals.
Heath congratulates Hungary’s gold medallist Sandor Totka following Thursday’s closing
‘So an enormous due to everybody watching at residence, it is not fairly the gold however I am proud of my efficiency and I hope you guys might be comfortable too.’
On the query of retirement, Heath replied: ‘It an enormous query and one thing I’ve acquired to consider a bit extra severely now. It is a joint choice with me, my spouse and my complete household due to the quantity of effort that goes into every cycle.
‘It is just a few years away now, it is a quick cycle spherical to Paris. The occasion’s leaving the Olympic programme however there is a new alternative as soon as once more within the K2 500m which would not be my most popular occasion however I’ve nonetheless acquired to consider that.’
In the meantime, Staff GB’s Deborah Kerr, a finalist within the ladies’s K1 200m, returned to motion within the K1 500m semi-finals.
The 23-year-old Scot, although, was unable to threaten when it comes to qualification for the ultimate, ending seventh as Hungary’s Tamara Csipes and Belgian Hermien Peters progressed.
The Hungarian athlete celebrates on the water after claiming gold within the closing in Tokyo
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