It was not, Tim Brabants said, a race that he particularly enjoyed, but the defending Olympic champion took solace from the fact that the competitors who won medals in his K1 1,000 metres final were “clean”.
Brabants finished last in the final this morning, failing to keep up with the early pace and wilting dramatically in the dying seconds but there were no regrets.
“I am happy for the guys that won because they are friends of mine,” the 35-year-old said. “I know they are good athletes and they are clean athletes which is the key thing for me. You want to get the top guys on the podium who are clean. I am happy for them but disappointed for me.”
Eirik Veras Larsen, the