Kildare canoeist qualifies for London

EOIN RHEINISCH made sense of four years of effort and setbacks in 98.38 seconds on Saturday. The Kildare man, who finished just one place off a medal in the K1 racing kayak in Beijing, dedicated the intervening years to the dream of doing better in London – but qualification came down to nailing a good performance in just one race, the semi-finals of the European Championships in Augsburg.

He needed a good round and he had a faultless one, qualifying in the first of two places on offer.

“I’m very pleased,” he said immediately after he learnt for certain that he qualified. “I’ve had a good season, without any injury or illness and I’m just blessed, I’m really lucky. That’s the first time that’s happened in two seasons and I just feel physically good.”

Last season was overshadowed by a shoulder injury which necessitated an operation, and he fared poorly at the 2011 World Championships, which was his first chance of qualifying.

“The pressure of the last couple of days was unreal and I’m glad I got through it. I got the first of the two places and I’m delighted. I’m over the moon.”

The places were available to the first two countries which had not already qualified. Ireland’s Ciarán Heurteau came down the course in 100.20 seconds, but a touch on a gate added two seconds and left him an outside bet. Rheinisch’s 98.38 was better, and he came close to making the top 10, which would have qualified him for the European Canoe Slalom final, but that was never the priority.

The second Olympic qualification place was taken by Dinko Mulic of Croatia. The big surprise of the day was that Slovakia could not qualify a boat, their best competitor, Jan Sajbidor, finishing 21st.

Rheinisch became the second Irish canoeist qualified for the London Games. Hannah Craig had qualified for the women’s K1 on Friday.

Ireland will also have a team at the Olympic Qualification event for sprint canoeists in Poznan in Poland, which begins on Wednesday.