OTTAWA, ON (July 29, 2016) – Canoe Kayak Canada will send a Men’s K2 200m crew to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The International Canoe Federation has allocated Canada two additional athlete quota spots for the sprint event following the suspension of an athlete in a Russian crew due to doping infractions.

The ICF ruled that the quota spots would be allocated to the next nation that has not yet qualified. Sweden was the next ranked nation but has declined the spots. Canada was the next in line based on the 2015 World Championships results where the Canadian crew placed ninth at last August. A top six-place finish was needed to qualify directly.

At the Pan American Continental Qualifier in May, the Canadian crew had a second chance to qualify but were edged out by the Brazilian crew by 0.07 of a second. Canada has proven its strength in this event and has won a bronze medal at the third ICF World Cup in June.

The Canadian crew to compete in the Men’s K2 200m is yet to be determined. The International Olympic Committee has allowed entries for spots reallocated due to doping infractions to be submitted up to 48 hours before the Technical Meeting in Rio on August 13. The Men’s K2 200m heats and semi-finals will take place on August 17 with the final scheduled for the next day.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada. Canoe Kayak Canada has been one of Canada’s top performing summer sports having won an impressive count of 24 Olympic medals. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization which includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information:

Ian Miller
Communications and Marketing Officer, Canoe Kayak Canada
613.314.1352
imiller@canoekayak.ca