Team Singapore kayakers head to Tokyo qualifiers with Paris Olympics in sight

SINGAPORE: Four Team Singapore kayakers are hoping to clinch their spots in the Paris Games at the Asian Canoe Sprint Olympic Qualifiers in Tokyo this week.

Among them are Brandon Ooi, 29, and Daniel Koh, 27, two of the fastest paddlers in the nation who are teaming up in the men's kayak double 500m sprint.

The pair said the stakes are high as the competition is fierce and only one pair will qualify for the Games.

“The Olympic qualifier is not a small race. The countries (competing) in Asia are really strong and we have to do a lot of work to be able to beat them. The pressure is on and we are working really hard to improve every aspect of our race,” the men said. 

They added that trust and confidence in each other are crucial under intense pressure during competition.

“In the boat, Brandon is in front and I’m behind. The trust and faith that I put in him to bring us steadily to the finish line is what keeps me focused and in the game during the race,” said Koh.

“Daniel is very strong and has a lot of power in his strokes. My role in the boat is to manage and kind of control that power. 500m is not an all-out sprint, we have to pace ourselves and have that (spurt) at the end,” said Ooi.

As the two are teaming up for the very first time, they have had to train harder to ensure they work perfectly in tandem with each other.

“There are a lot more variables in the doubles. The way each of us paddle is a little bit different (from the other). Each person has his own little things to work on when we paddle together. It's a work in progress, but I think we’re getting better,” said Ooi.

The national team paddlers hope to cross the finish line in under one-and-a-half minutes during the qualifiers from Apr 18 to 21.

Joining them in Tokyo