Danish Canoe Marathon world champion Mads Brandt Pedersen has travelled to the opposite side of the world in his quest to qualify for his first Olympic Games in Paris this year.

The three-time marathon world title holder and reigning International Canoe Federation K1 5000 world champion has spent the European winter in Australia, training and preparing for his last shot at potential Olympic qualification.

He has two big hurdles in front of him. First, he has to earn the right to represent Denmark at the European Olympic qualifiers in Szeged, Hungary. Then he has to earn the actual Olympic quota, beating a long list of desperate athletes all striving to earn the one remaining ticket.

But uprooting his life and moving Down Under for several months is a sign Pedersen means business.

“I’m still trying to see if I can get into the 1000 metres with my marathon background,” Pedersen told the ICF’s Path to Paris podcast.

“I’m training with a lot more high intensity now. This year I’m focusing much more on the 1000 metres because this is now so close.

“I’m just putting full focus on this. I’m not focusing too much on marathon at the moment.”

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