TWO hundred metres. Thirty-four seconds. A hundred strokes.
Would-be accountant Ed McKeever is hoping that the numbers add up to gold
after a decision by Olympic bosses helped propel him to the top of the kayak
pack.
The Bradford-on-Avon paddler will start as one of the favourites in the K1
200m but his chances of glory would have been far slimmer had the IOC not
dropped his original event.
When the 500m was axed in 2009 in favour of the 200m McKeever, 28, found his
true value and won the European and world titles in 2010.
The explosive nature of the event — it lasts around 34 seconds and competitors
will manage around 100 strokes at a rate of nearly 175 per minute — suits
him perfectly.
He had to settle for silver and bronze in last year’s world and Europeans
respectively but is desperate to go one better on the Olympic lake at Eton
Dorney in the August 11 final.
He said: “It’s strange, but from a motivational point of view, losing my
titles ahead of 2012 was the best thing that could have happened.
“I am looking to perfect my race — then there won’t be any disappointments
this year.
“I’m sure I’d be competing at London if it was still the 500m, but I’m not
sure I would have this level of confidence.”
It all began for McKeever in 1995 when a school friend took him to a local
canoe club.
He took to the sport so quickly that, after his A-levels, he moved to
Kingston-on-Thames to train with the GB kayak team while studying for a
degree in accountancy and finance, graduating four years ago.
For now he is very happy to dedicate himself to sport but said: “I love
canoeing but I don’t do it for the money.
“I’m very happy to have been able to study accountancy, so I can forge a
future career.”
But first on the agenda is getting a golden return on the investment he made
in chasing Olympic glory.