Canoeist Gary Mawer, just returned from the World Marathon Canoeing Championships in Canada, will be heading straight for Sydney after being offered one of the last places available for the Olympic Games.

The organisers of the Games in Sydney, SOCOG, allowed the International Canoe Federation to make extra places available last week, and after an executive meeting on Monday, the Irish Olympic Committee sanctioned Mawer's participation.

The 30-year-old KI (individual kayak) sprint canoeist also competes in marathon events, but this year's World Championships proved luckless for him - he broke the seat of his boat and could not finish. He was in any case facing disqualification because he had taken the wrong route on a portage, where he had to carry the canoe.

He has finished as high as second in the World Championships and also competed in Sydney. He joins Irish slalom canoeists Ian Wiley and Eadaoin Ni Challarain at the Games.