Prep school teacher in Olympic Bid

ALTRINCHAM Prep School Physical Education teacher Malcolm Johnson has taken on the best at the Canoeing World Championships.

The 24-four-year-old, who is one of Britain's elite athletes with funding from the National Lottery, has just returned from the gruelling flat course championships held in Seville, Southern Spain.

As part of the four man Kayak team, Malcolm helped the British team to reach the final.

In the individual competition, he made the semi-finals.

The main goal is now the Sydney Olympics next year, where Malcolm hopes to pick up the first British flat course canoeing medal since before the War.

Malcolm said: "The weight of history is against the British team, but if we can make the final then we could be in with a chance of a podium finish." He added: "The Germans and Hungarians are immensely big and strong and will start the favourities."

Malcolm is totally dedicated to his sport, training at least twice a day and six days a week.

"If you want to compete at the highest level, let alone win, there is simply no other option than hard work," he said dryly.

Malcolm first started canoeing in his early teens while living in the North-East and came through the club ranks to become one of this country's emerging stars.

He now practises on the River Weaver in his home in Northwich and also at his club site on the River Dee in Chester.

He said: "You probably don't reach your peak until your late twenties, so maybe I'll be at my very best at the Olympics the year after next.

I certainly intend to keep up the hard-work."

Malcolm describes the unique pleasure of flat course canoeing in highly competitive terms: "It is a very competitive sport.

When you race on flat water you can see every little grimace and effort on the face of your opponents as you strive to take just a matter of inches out of each other on the water.

Though, extremely exhausting, it is also immensely exciting and I'm afraid I'm totally hooked on the sport."

He has also been instrumental in further developing canoeing as one of the many sports at Altrincham Prep School, and will be taking a party on an adventure sports weekend, including kayak racing in May.

Head of Physical Education Mr Nigel Birch said: "Malcolm is an invaluable asset to the department.

"The children respect when he has achieved and see him as a role model."

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