LIAM JEGOU TODAY recovered from a poor first run to qualify for the semi finals of the canoe slalom.
Jegou missed the 19th gate of his first run, and picked up a 50-second time penalty as a result that left him the lowest-ranked of the 18 canoeists in the field. The top 15 progressed to the semi-finals.
“A shaky start, I’ll call it,” was how it was described by Canoeing Ireland Performance Director, Jon Mackey.
The second run offered a reprieve, and Jegou made the most of it, coming home in 104.40 seconds, with just a two-second time penalty. That placed him ninth in the second run and 11th overall.
Jegou’s semi-final will take place on Monday.
“I’m confident I’m in shape, I feel great technically,” Jegou said.
“I just need to free myself a bit more. Tomorrow is a new day and semi-finals are a different ball game to heats. You have to attack a lot more and I feel less nervous in those situations, and I can really let go and try to put down the best run I can do.
“It’s the Olympics but it feels like a different kind of Olympics. That extra year has been really long for everyone, and everyone is excited to compete here.
“I’m glad I can say I’m an Olympian now – it’s official and I’m looking forward to more tomorrow.”
