WAIS-AIS kayaker Alana Nicholls has produced a blistering run of form at the National Selection Trials in Penrith to secure her ticket into the Australian team for August’s World Championships in Hungary.
Nicholls was dominant in the K1 200m and 500m events with both victories coming in world class times and by significant margins over the competing field.
WAIS kayaking head coach – and 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games bronze medallist – Ramon Andersson said Nicholls’ performances had proven she was amongst the world’s elite.
“Alana dominated the K1 events, winning both convincingly and in world class times,” he said.
“Her performances at nationals, and now selection trials has guaranteed her spot on the Australian team for World Championships,” Andersson said. “We’re obviously very pleased.”
Nicholls was a standout in the women’s events, cruising past her opponents with the aid of a tail wind on her way to victory in the Women’s K1 500m, finishing more than two seconds clear of South Australia’s Hannah Davis in second and the Sunshine Coast’s Hailey McGinty. Earlier, Nicholls defeated Sunshine Coast paddler Rachel Lovell to the line in the K1 200m in a time of 41.24 seconds. For Nicholls it was a case of mission acomplished.
“I came here today wanting to win both events and I achieved that,” she said.
With Olympic selection on the mind of every paddler, Nicholls is looking forward to the challenges ahead starting with the World cup events.”I think it was important for me today to have a good performance and show what I can do leading into world cup and world championships.”
Nicholls’ achievements complete a remarkable turn-around, after she had given up the sport to focus on her career. But after the IOC’s (International Olympic Committee) decision to include the shorter and more explosive 200m events for the London Olympics, Nicholls was tempted back.
National Performance Director Richard Fox was understandably delighted with the performances across both national and selection trial competition and believes there is significant potential for the 19 member Australian team for both the pending world cup and subsequent world championship events.
“The two event series made sure we collected the best possible athletes tomaximise our Olympic qualification and medal prospects across events. The 1000m men have reinforced their performances of the past 12 months and we have seen some very positive progression in the women’s events. This means we can go into our World Championship preparation confidently and with a number of healthy options to look at,” Fox said.
NSWIS athlete Murray Stewart blitzed the field in the Men’s K1 1000m final in an impressive display finishing more than seven seconds clear of Holdfast Bay’s Glenn Rypp and Gold Coast paddler Joel Simpson. Stewart held on to win the men’s K1 200m final, 0.3 seconds ahead of Joel Simpson, with West Lake paddler Matthew Goble in third spot. It was an intriguing final as the competitors were racing into a slight head wind, which was tipped to suit the more powerful athletes like Currumbin Creek paddler Ken Wallace, but Wallace in his attempt to get off to a quick start was left behind by the other paddlers after getting stuck on the start line.
Wallace made amends however, teaming up with Stewart to win the Men’s K2 200m after just one second separated the top five in a photo finish. The Wallace/Stewart combination narrowly pipped Matthew Goble and Luke Morrison, who finished a second ahead of WAIS pair and K2 200m national champions, Jesse Phillips and Stephen Bird. Phillips and Bird will have the opportunity to redeem across the European World Cup circuit, where they will look to earn selection for the World Championships.
The Men’s Open K2 1000m event was an entertaining affair with WAIS duo Brodie Holmes and Daniel Bowker getting out to a strong start before finally being overpowered by the combination of David Smith and Murray Stewart, who took victory by more than two seconds from Tate Smith and Luke Morrison. Queensland duo Jacob Clear and Ken Wallace finished third.
The Senior National team has been announced to compete at the World Cup events starting in Poland on May 6. WAIS had three athletes named in the squad, with Nicholls joined by K2 200m pair Phillips and Bird.
Nicholls has also ensured pre-selection for the World Championships by virtue of her stella national and selection trial campaigns, whilst WAIS C-boat paddler Ferenc Szekszardi has also gained pre-selection for August’s championships.
– With Canoeing Australia
