At the first World Cup race of the year in Szeged, Hungary, this weekend, South Africa’s Olympic canoeists get a taste of what’s to come as they continue their road to Paris 2024.
Although there are seven paddlers from South Africa competing in the race, all eyes will be on the men’s crew of Andrew Birkett and Hamish Lovemore, and the women’s crew of Esti Olivier and Tiffany Koch.
After earning spots on the South African Olympic squad in the national championships last month, both combinations will compete in the 500m K2 events.
Olympic teams working well together
Olivier and Koch will be the first South Africans in action this weekend when they take to the water in their heats early on Friday afternoon, with Birkett and Lovemore facing their first test as an international sprint crew about an hour later.
The semi-finals for both events will take place later on Friday with the finals on Saturday afternoon.
For both crews, this is the start of their intensive build-up to the highlight of the 2024 racing season, when they will line up to represent South Africa at the Olympic regatta in August.
Birkett is well-known on the international long-distance racing circuit. The 500 metre distance will test his explosive speed.
Lovemore may not be as well known. Still, those in the know regard him as a great talent with a bright future.
Unfinished business
For Olivier and Koch, the 2024 Olympics is a story of unfinished business. Koch (née Kruger) paddled in the 2012 Olympics in London, but then the duo missed out on qualifying for Rio 2016 and Koch retired from international competition.
Olivier doggedly struggled on and just failed to earn selection for Tokyo. However, she persuaded Koch out of retirement for the selection event earlier this year and their resurrection as a crew and subsequent qualification is something of a fairytale.
Sandwiched between the 500m K2 heats on Friday will be the men’s 500m K1 heats with Samuel Butcher and Callam Davis aiming to book their places in the semi-finals.
Late on Saturday afternoon, Kyle Friedenstein and Davis will be paddling in the 1000 m K1 heats followed by Olivier and Koch who will split up for the 500m K1 event.
All four will be hoping to qualify for semi-finals and finals on Sunday morning. Koch and Olivier are also scheduled to paddle in the 5000 m K1 race, while Butcher and Friedenstein will be in the corresponding men’s event to wrap up the regatta.