Quinn’s mighty short shrift to Olympic hurt (From York Press)
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Quinn’s mighty short shrift to Olympic hurt
10:52am Friday 13th July 2012 in Sport
Tom Quinn quickly returned to active duty
YORK paddler Tom Quinn has offset his disappointment of missing out on Olympic selection by focusing his attention on more immediate international glory, writes Ed White.
Quinn, 21, failed to qualify for the Great Britain canoeing squad for the summer games after coming fourth in his selection race at the Olympic Lee Valley White Water Centre.
But he has been selected to represent his country in two ICF World Cup Series events.
After a disappointing showing with George Tatchell in the C2 doubles in La Seu d’Urgell, Catalonia, last month, he heads to Pau in France next week.
The World Cup event in Spain was only the second time Quinn has competed at that level but he still believes he is in prime shape to compete take on the world’s elite.
“A lot of paddlers at the World Cups will be racing at the Olympics for their teams so the standard is as high as it can get,” Quinn said.
“I have been peaking basically for this period with my physical training and I’ve been paddling well.”
“It will be a really tough race but I’ll be really looking to make the final.”
He has also earned selection for the under-23 World Championships in Wausaw, America, next month.
“At the U23 World Championships, I will be really looking to medal and I know I am fast enough to win,” he said.
“We time our training performances and I know my training levels are fast enough to win it.”
Bishopthorpe-based Quinn failed to make it into the two coveted selection positions for London 2012 in Hertfordshire but a month later he won a silver medal at a world ranking event.
“I was obviously quite disappointed,” he said.
“I didn’t perform like I should have done, which is what hurt me the most, but now I am just looking forward to the Olympics in Rio in 2016.
“I just sat down with my coach Ian Rasping and got it out of my system as soon as I could.
“I had a week off after the selection races and then got back into training.”
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