Joe Clarke’s strongest memory from the Rio 2016 Olympics isn’t the moment he crossed the finish line to win gold, or standing on the podium with the medal around his neck; it’s the moment he looked up and saw he had a 50-second penalty on his first heat run.
“Funnily enough, that is probably my biggest memory,” Clarke said this week.
“I just thought, oh no, my family has travelled all this way and I might not even qualify. That’s the overriding memory.”
History shows Clarke was able to overcome that gut-wrenching episode to climb back up the leaderboard and, ultimately, into the gold medal position.
Maybe it’s that moment of utter despair which drives the British K1 paddler now. After all, they do say sometimes you have to fail to succeed. And if it was a couple of minutes of thinking you had failed, and let down your country, your family and friends, that drives Joe Clarke now, then we can be sure it was a very successful failure.
This week Clarke is back where it all happened; the feeling of impending doom, the thrill of the chase, the moment it all looked possible, and then that triumphant emotion that can only come when you reach the top of a mountain that looked impossible to climb.
Standing on the banks of the Deodoro course in Rio de Janiero Clarke thought back to the moment he was sitting 21st in a 21-strong field. But then he turned his mind to happier thoughts, and the task that confronts him this week on the course where he is the reigning king.
“It’s always strange, lining up in the blocks again and just feeling the vibe of the course, and reminding yourself what it takes to be good on this course,” he said.
“The hairs do prickle up on your arms, and it does make you feel pretty good. There are a lot more expectations definitely, I’ve made a name for myself from this event and certainly people watching me are expecting me to do well.”
It’s a different looking whitewater course now than it was in 2016. The stands are gone, the bunting is gone and the Olympic hoop-la is gone.
There have been one or two difficult moments in the lead up to the event, but to steal another famous phrase, it’ll be alright on the night.
“The course isn’t quite the same as it was back then, but we’ve had some good training out here,” Clarke said.
“It seems on the whole the Brazilian Federation has pulled together and will make what looks to hopefully be a good event.”
The 2018 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships begin today in Rio and run through until Sunday.
