Florence (pictured above, second left) will be competing in the men's C1 and C2 following the recent British canoeing trials here, where he was in imperious form and where Team GB will compete during this summer's Olympics.

Richard Hounslow (pictured above, first left), also competing in the men's C2 and the K1, along with Florence will become the first British canoe athletes to compete for multiple medals in the same Games, having beaten two-time Olympian Campbell Walsh to a London 2012 spot.

The other C2 boat selected for London is Tim Baillie and Etienne Stott (pictured above, second and first right respectively), who make it despite being edged out by Hounslow and Florence during the trials.

Lizzie Neave (pictured above, centre) won all her races at the trials in the K1 to seal her spot at the Games.

Following the trials, the British Canoe Union (BCU) nominated the athletes for selection, which was today confirmed by the British Olympic Association (BOA).

The five were all confirmed as the latest Team GB athletes – bringing the contingent up to a total of 66 for London 2012, which includes the likes of double Olympic gold medallist swimmer Rebecca Adlington, triple gold medal winning sailor Ben Ainslie and world 5,000 metre champion Mo Farah – and they sported the Team GB uniform here today.

Britain has claimed five medals in the canoe slalom over previous Games – four silver and one bronze – since it was consistently introduced the Games from Munich 1972.


John Anderson (pictured above, second right), GB Canoeing's performance director, has set the canoe slalom and sprint kayak teams a challenge of winning three medals between them this summer.

"I am delighted that our canoe slalom team has been officially announced today as part of Team GB and that we have been able to select a full team of five athletes across all four classes," he said.

"I believe this is probably the strongest Olympic team we have been able to field for some time, with all of the athletes capable of challenging for the podium.

"Having two C2 boats selected will also give us a significant advantage."

Florence is undaunted at being the biggest name on the squad and having the burden of expectation for a first canoe slalom gold.

"It is a mixture of elation to be a part of a home Games and also relief as well," he said.

"It is nice to know I am now training for the Olympic Games.

"The expectation is not really a negative thing, it is a positive that they are expecting me to do well.

"You always have expectation no matter what stage you are at, and that does not impact on my performance.

"It does not change how I go about it, what I do when I am on the course.

"I have only been to one Olympic Games in Beijing and it was quite an experience...the silver medal was the biggest achievement of my life so far but that was four years ago and a lot has happened since then.

"We are competing against all the top guys in the world every year, so we know what sort of a performance it is going to take to win that medal."


Florence and the rest of the selected canoe slalom athletes will now focus on the upcoming European Championships in Augsburg, Germany, on May 11-13 before taking on international rivals at the World Cup Series in Cardiff this June, prior to the Olympics.

"It is fabulous to have five more athletes on Team GB, four who have not been to the Games yet and David Florence," Team GB Chef de Mission Andy Hunt told insidethegames.

"It is fantastic to have them as part of the team, each have truly earned that place on merit on their journey to the Games and at the selection trials.

"We have won a [canoe slalom] medal at all five Olympic Games.

"The elusive gold medal has not been won but I think...they have absolutely the potential, drive and determination combined hopefully with an amazingly supportive British crowd to perhaps deliver that incredible moment.

"The first time you win a gold medal in a sport and discipline is an incredibly important moment.

"We have over 66 [athletes] selected so far and 28 more announcements over the coming weeks.

"So far [I am] very pleased – the performances at World Championships and World Cup events over the spring so far have been very good."


Meanwhile, Tim Brabants (pictured), the 2008 Olympic champion in the K1 1,000m sprint, is looking in good shape to defend his title at the age of 35 having returned from the injury which wrecked last year for him – he required an operation on a pectoral tendon – to establish himself as the leading British contender in his event.

Brabants and his 24-year-old rival Paul Wycherley, who took the World Championship place last year, are engaged in a race-off over three events this year, and Brabants won the first of them at Holme Pierrepont in Nottingham this month.

The Olympic and former world champion now needs one more victory in either of the two World Cup events coming up in May to confirm his selection.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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June 2011: Florence takes gold for Britain at Canoe Slalom World Cup
August 2008: Florence shines brightly in Beijing