Joe Clarke receives dream news ahead of 2024 Olympics
Joe Clarke returns to Team GB's squad for the Paris 2024 Olympics for the first time since Rio 2016.
Fellow Staffordshire paddler Adam Burgess is also among the first canoeing athletes to be selected for next summer's Olympics.
Clarke won gold in the Men Individual at the 2016 Rio Olympics, but missed out on Team GB selection for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
The Staffordshire paddler most recently collected two gold medals at the 2023 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships.
After securing his selection for Team GB, Clarke said: “I can’t wait for Paris and I’m delighted to be selected for the Games. Obviously, I missed out on Tokyo and to go again eight years later is great. I’m a completely different athlete now.
"I won the Olympics once, I really want to go out next year and do the double this time round with two opportunities to win medals.
"This is the main driver right now, I'm very excited and there are a lot of hard weeks ahead, but we know what we are working towards.
"It's special heading as reigning World Champion. It adds a target to my back, but I have high expectations of myself so I am very excited."
Fellow Stafford & Stone Canoe Club teammate Adam Burgess will also be competing in Paris.
Burgess made his Olympic debut in Tokyo and finished just 0.16 seconds shy of a bronze medal in the C1 event.
The 31-year-old won bronze at the 2022 World Cup, and has reached the C1 final on seven consecutive occasions in 2023.
“I’m so excited to be racing in Paris next year. It’s one thing making it to the Olympics once, but to be a two-time Olympian is fantastic," Burgess said.
“Fourth last time round is unfinished business for me. I’m really grateful I have an opportunity to do better.
“I felt a bit of pressure to make the Games again this time as my family weren’t able to go last time and just excited for the opportunity for them too.
“Since Tokyo, I really established myself as one of the top athletes there. I haven’t won enough medals since, but this season has highlighted what I need to do to make the next step and I’m confident I can do that for Paris next summer.”
