Craig vows to keep cool head for latest challenge

Kayaker Hannah Craig is well experienced in facing — and overcoming — challenging situations on and off the water.

Such as? Moving to France from Antrim as a child; setting up her own internet clothing business to help fund her canoeing career; bouncing back from the disappointment of failing to qualify for Beijing four years ago. Need we go on?

And that inner resolve was to be seen again earlier this week as Craig sneaked through the opening heat if the K1 Slalom on Monday finishing 14th of the 15 qualifiers in a time of 108.99.

She learned plenty from the day, bouncing back from a poor opening run, to secure progression with a more composed performance on her second spin. And she admits she will approach today’s semi-final with a different tactical game plan.

“It sounds weird but you can actually wait and use the water,” the 27-year-old Armoy native explained.

“If you drive through the water, it is stops you so you have to sit tall and look. It’s about trying to go back [to that mindset] and try and get that feeling and make sure I go to the start line with that in my head.

“It’s the intensity of it that makes it unique. There’s never been a course like this where it just keeps on coming and coming.

“There’s no flat sections in it at all so you constantly need to be placing the boat in the right position and using what you call your edge so you are actually moving your boat and you have to have the right strokes plus the reactions because sometimes the water pushes you and you have to react.”

Irish number one Craig left it late to book her Olympic berth, securing her ticket at the European Championships in Augsburg, Germany. But the difficulties encountered along the road to qualifying for these Games, has made the destination more rewarding.

“It’s been hard but I wouldn’t change it. I’m really proud of it. There have been a lot of struggles but it makes you appreciate what you have.

“If I had made it four years ago to the Olympics, mentally I would not have been able to deal with the event. There is a lot that goes on, it is really important to keep sticking to what your beliefs are and keeping it as simple as possible.

“Yes, it’s very exciting and it’s amazing to be here.

“But I’m not here to spectate, I’m here to compete so I need to stay grounded and focused.”