Canoeing News  

Walsh chimes with Olympic slogan

Anyone who read the Sunday Herald, Fresh supplement over the weekend, will have learned from top Scots Katherine Grainger (rowing), Chris Hoy (cycling) and Campbell Walsh (canoeing) what it's like to compete and win a medal at an Olympic Games.
 
However, whilst Grainger, Hoy and double Olympic sailing champion Shirley Robertson all referred to the unique pressures felt when competing in the pressure cooker atmosphere of a Games, Walsh preferred to downplay the impact on one's emotions when going for gold on the world's biggest sporting stage.
 
"I've only done one (Games) and to be honest it felt pretty much the same as normal (World Cup) competitions," revealed 30 year-old Walsh who won Olympic silver in 2004.  "It (the Olympics) is important and big but I didn't feel the experience was too much different from any other championships," added Walsh.
 
However, if the paddling ace prefers to downplay the Games experience, Walsh clearly agrees with the tagline adopted by the British Olympic Association (BOA) and clothing sponsor Adidas at the official launch of Team GB's clothing last week in London. 
 
Referring to a photograph that shows fellow athletes standing in Adidas' shop window dressed in Team GB kit, Walsh noted the caption on the shop window read: 'This kit cannot be bought. It's earned.'
 
"Very true," remarked Walsh who will be going for gold in Beijing.