Jezierski on track for Games

CANOEING:A MAN who was known by only a small coterie of Irish people until recently looks well on course to represent Ireland at the Olympic Games. Andrzej Jezierski, a Pole who won world championships with his native country but who has been based in Cork for years, won his heat at the Olympic Qualifier for sprint canoeists in Poznan yesterday and should he place first or second in his final today he will land his place in London in the C1 200 metres.

Jenny Egan will also compete in at least one final today. The Kildare woman qualified for the A final of the women’s K1 500 metres by taking the third and final available place in the semi-final. Egan also qualified for today’s semi-final of the K1 200 metres by finishing fifth in her heat, and according to team manager Tom Egan she will paddle in both 500m and 200m races today.

Jezierski (32) declared for Ireland recently, after receiving his Irish passport. He won two World Championship gold medals, a silver and a two bronzes with Poland between 2002 and 2005. He was the fastest qualifier yesterday in difficult conditions.

Ireland’s other competitors yesterday did not fare as well. In the men’s K1 (kayak) 1,000m, Neil Fleming finished fifth in the heat and semi-final.

The men’s K2 of Seán Marchetti and Val Peirce finished eighth in their heat and semi-final and did not make the final, and Marchetti also failed to progress in the K1 200m.