Wayne Maher: Slalom paddlers do NZ proud

The Canoe Slalom competition is now complete and with it the campaigns of Waiariki's Olympians Mike Dawson and Luuka Jones.

Both paddlers went into the Games well prepared with expectations to match.

However the high performance sports environment can be brutal and is intolerant of even the smallest of mistakes.

This is particularly relevant to canoe slalom, where the athlete battles not just body and mind but in the case of the Lee Valley Course 13,000 litres/sec of whitewater.

Both paddlers have expressed their disappointment and perhaps didn't quite perform to the level they were capable of.

Perspective is difficult to grasp in these situations amidst feelings of "what if".

Despite this, both paddlers were certainly not just making up numbers and proved that at least on time over the course they have what it takes.

Canoe Slalom in New Zealand is very much a minority sport, where our relative talent pool is significantly less than the slalom superpowers.

Couple this with having to compete with bigger programmes with greater resources, in a geographically isolated location we more than hold our own.

This is a credit to those at the coal face of Slalom in New Zealand and to the sport's trail blazers, who will leave a legacy for those coming through as the level of understanding as to what is required is honed and refined - a process that takes time and experience.

Waiariki is immensely proud of Luuka and Mike, and their immediate support team Jane Borren, Andy Raspin and Les Dawson.

I would also like to acknowledge the work done by Academy of Sport physical conditioner Sam Thompson whose input has been world class as has The Physiotherapy Clinic and Academy of Sport contracted physiotherapists Ant Croucher, Corey Stunnell and Doctor Roz Wilson.

The initiative shown by John Snook and Jane Borren to set up a specialist Kayak/Waka squad within the Academy programme has been significant in raising not just the level of performance, but also the level of expectation.

We are 100 per cent committed to building on this into Rio.

On behalf of the academy I want to extend our sincere gratitude to Rotorua and the wider Bay for your support of Luuka and Mike through their Olympic campaign you have all played a part.

Wayne Maher is the manager of the Waiariki Academy of Sport.