K2 pair finish sixth in final

KENT BLECHYNDEN/Fairfax Media

LAGGING BEHIND: The men's K2 1000 kayaking pair of Steven Ferguson and Mike Walker have finished sixth in their final.

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New Zealand kayakers Steven Ferguson and Mike Walker finished sixth in the Olympic K2 1000m final at Shunyi today.

German pair Martin Hollstein and Andreas Ihle won gold in a time of three minutes 11.809 seconds, with Denmark and Italy claiming silver and bronze.

Ferguson and Walker made a strong start and were third behind early leaders Hungary at the 250m mark before fading to finish sixth in a time 3min 15.329sec.

Walker said there were "no regrets" about their final placing in the K2, even though the Kiwi pair had been right in the medal mix early in the race.

They couldn't quite maintain their effort till the end, and Walker said they "kinda fell apart" for the last 100m.

Walker said their start was one of their strengths. "You've got to use it, especially at the Olympic Games," he said. 

"We don't have any regrets. We crossed the line and were totally spent - you can't ask for more than that."

Walker said "pressure racing" had been the big learning curve this year as the standard went up a level.

"We perhaps need more racing under that pressure so when you're against the top crews you can find an extra gear."

Walker also felt his partner had a real shot at a medal in Saturday's K1 500 final after his huge semifinal effort.

"Judging by how he paddled his semi, I think he can go very well. The 500 is probably the most competitive race at the Games. You saw Adam van Koeverden absolutely bomb out in the 1000 earlier today.

"He's going to be a man possessed in that 500, and I'm picking he's going to get out in front and lead the whole way.

"So Steve's just going to have to pace his own race like he did in the semi and he's definitely in with a shot."

At 31, Walker said he was "not finished yet" in the sport despite being a late bloomer.

"It's not the end of Mike Walker yet," he said, vowing to box on for at least another couple of years.

- with NZPA

- © Fairfax NZ News