Icing on the kayak (From Your Local Guardian)

Icing on the kayak

9:41am Thursday 12th July 2007 in

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Kayaker Tim Brabants is celebrating after bringing home two medals from the Flat Water Racing European Championships in Pontevedra, Spain.

The Walton-based doctor claimed gold in the 500m at last week's championships, and finished second in the 1,000m behind Norway's Olympic champion Eirik Veraas Larsen.

"I am very happy to have picked up gold and silver but, in saying that, the gold did not come in my strongest event," the 30-year-old said.

"I was disappointed not to win the 1,000m but I did come second to the Olympic champion. I used that disappointment to push to gold in the 500m.

"Before the event, I predicted the championships were going to be difficult, and that is what I got."

Brabants recently took a year's break from canoeing to concentrate on his medical career, but has now set his sights on booking his place on the plane to Beijing.

He already boasts an Olympic bronze medal in his collection, and is confident he can make it to his third Games.

"The way my season is going at the moment, I'm confident I can make the team," he added.

"My first goal is to qualify and, if I continue to progress the way I have done this season, then I am confident I can get a medal."