Adam Burgess: I did not develop my canoeing philosophy on the water

Staffordshire Olympian Adam Burgess didn't develop his canoeing philosophy on the water — it came to him through yoga. The 29-year-old has competed internationally since 2008 and has no visions of stopping any time soon, rubber-stamping his spot on the 2022 team with dominant displays in trial races. Ad/> Burgess credits his achievements to practice both in and out of the canoe.

CanoeingFranklin feels switching coach will help ahead of new season21 HOURS AGO Burgess said: «My racing philosophy and the way I approach racing actually came to me in a yoga class. »I realised one day that in any given yoga pose I know where IÕm supposed to look, and I just questioned that I didn't know where I was supposed to look when I was in the water. «And now when I race, the only thing I think about it where I'm looking.

I always say that the secret to performance is just getting out of your own way. »The body knows what it's doing so if I can occupy the mind as to where to look then I'm out of the way and the body can be instinctive and its thing." Burgess came fourth at Tokyo 2020 in the C1 event, missing a medal by just 0.16 seconds, and is now using his philosophical approach to dominate the 2022 season. And with one of the top facilities in the world at his fingertips in the shape of Lee Valley White Water Centre, Burgess is preparing for success.

He said: «Fourth place is a hard place to finish at the Games, so it was bittersweet. »I feel like it was either going to make me or break me and I think we've learnt a lot from it and I feel faster than ever right now and I'm so excited to get out there and race. " Burgess is now the oldest member of the international team but such seniority won't be shifting his rebellious mentality.