Brad Forbes-Cryans insists advice from past masters has set him up for a pre-Tokyo booster by striking gold at the European Canoeing Championships in Turin today.
The 26-year-old from Midlothian will get his last major tune-up for the Olympics in the men’s K1 kayak event on a course where he captured world under-23 silver five years ago.
After being selected for the Games over 18 months ago, he has had to paddle through a pandemic and then gear up again for the biggest few months of his life.
But he has lent on his coach Richard Hounslow and fellow Scot David Florence, who’s passed on the tips picked up while acquiring Olympic silvers at the past three Games.
Forbes-Cryans said: “I'm very lucky to have David as a training partner, but also Richard, who's also been there. He's got two Olympic silver medals of his own. He's been feeding me bits of information that he thinks is relevant and sharing some of his past experiences.
“I feel very fortunate to have the team around me that I do, with two extremely experienced guys. Olympic Games is probably the highest level that you can perform internationally so I’m just trying to use all of that to add to my ability.”
The fallout from his selection for a single UK spot in Tokyo ahead of reigning Olympic champion Joe Clarke has died down during over the past year with the pair back as team-mates this week.
“He's not going to get chance to retain that title,” the Scot declared. “So I can understand that he's upset. But we just have had to push past this and get on with our job.”
Results this weekend will be keenly watched with the forthcoming Games in mind. For others, like Clarke, Florence and Fiona Pennie – racing in the women’s K1 today – who went to Rio but will miss out on Tokyo, entire seasons hang on earning a Euro slalom crown.
For Forbes-Cryans, a first senior individual medal on the international stage would add legitimacy to his planned assault on the podium in July.
“It definitely has not been a smooth journey in my career,” he said. “I've worked incredibly hard over the last 15 years at my sport and it’s due to the work that I've put in that I have managed to be at the top of every level that I've gone through.
“I've kind of always been in the top 10 for junior internationals, then Under-20 and 23 and then seniors. It is easy to look on the outside that there's been a pretty steady progression. But I do always look for more and more from myself.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here