KEY POINTS:
Despondent New Zealand kayaker Ben Fouhy rates himself a 58-to-one chance of returning to the Olympic podium after a listless opening race today.
In a remarkable reaction to a sub-par paddle in his K1 1000m heats, third-placed Fouhy today said he was practically no chance of claiming a medal in Friday's final -- if he qualifies.
"I'd say I'd be paying about 58 bucks for a medal at the moment, I'm going pretty average," Fouhy told NZPA.
"You don't have to know what sport's about to be able to see that. So it's going to be difficult.
"I've just got to keep fighting. I've been struggling for a few years and I haven't given up so I'm not going to give up just yet."
Fouhy won a silver medal at the Athens Games four years ago, beating Canadian Adam van Koeverden into bronze.
Van Koeverden has since become a dominant flatwater racer while Fouhy has clearly gone backwards.
That was evident today as the muscular Canadian powered to a four-second lead on the field through the first 250m and was never challenged.
Fouhy slumped to fifth at that point but steadied somewhat to clock three minutes 33.037 seconds. It was 3.415sec off the winning pace and about half that behind second-placed Stjepan Janic of Croatia.
The winners of the three heats advanced to the final, with world champion Tim Brabants of Great Britain quickest in 3min 27.828sec.
Most of the rest of the field will contest semifinals on Wednesday, where Fouhy will need a top-three finish.
New Zealand K2 1000m crew Steven Ferguson and Mike Walker also finished fourth today although it was a more encouraging performance.
They needed a top-three finish and held third for most of the journey but were pipped on the line by just 0.27sec by the Italian crew.
Hungarian medal favourites Hungary won their heat while Germany were the quickest crew to qualify in 3min 15.987sec, more than 3sec quicker than New Zealand.
Ferguson and Walker will be confident of advancing through Wednesday's sole semifinal, where a top-three finish will again be needed.
Not so buoyant of his chances was Fouhy, who was 10th fastest overall.
"It just felt like every other race I've raced for the last year and a half," he said.
"I shouldn't complain really but I'm here to paddle fast and I'm struggling to do that.
"I'm through to the semifinals so it keeps me in the game. Hopefully if I'm very, very lucky I'll find some energy."
Fouhy said his flat form was no reflection of the long hours devoted to training at home in Auckland, during the World Cup campaign in Europe and most recently for six weeks in Queensland.
He said the buildup had surpassed his preparations for Athens but something simply wasn't clicking on the water.
"I've just been struggling to find energy when I race," he said.
"I didn't have a back end of a race so when I wanted to lift I wasn't there, it just felt heavy and tired. I didn't feel strong at all."
Ferguson will compete again tomorrow in the K1 500m heats, along with Erin Taylor, who will be the first New Zealand woman to race an Olympic flatwater event.
- NZPA
