Cno: Aussie pair dare to dream in K2

AAP General News (Australia)
08-22-2008
Cno: Aussie pair dare to dream in K2

By Jim Morton

BEIJING, Aug 23 AAP - Hannah Davis and Lyndsie Fogarty will "close the curtain" around
their boat as they dare to dream about sinking a kayaking legend at the Beijing Games
tomorrow.

Australia's K2 500m duo enter their final as rank outsiders at Shunyi Olympic Canoeing
Park despite a strong heat performance where they placed third behind Hungary and France.

The Hungarians, led by kayak legend Katalin Kovacs, are red-hot favourites for the
event, with Germany seen as their main rival after also drawing a middle lane following
a qualifying victory.

Kovacs, who has won four Olympic medals, is the K2 Olympic defending champion with
crew-mate Natasa Janic and has also won a litany of K1, K2 and K4 world titles in her
12-year international career.

But Fogarty and Davis have no fears of the 32-year-old great at their maiden Olympics
and will focus on their own performance.

"The door's wide open," said a bold Davis

"The Hungarians are some of the strongest girls in the world so it's what you expect
and it not a shock, we're trying to close the gap on them."

Fogarty indicated the pair could revel in the situation with no external pressure on
the underdogs.

"We want to make a stand out and be known as a strong country," she said.

"They (Hungary) look good but like we always say to each other before a race, close
the curtains and focus on ourselves.

"I wait for Hannah and Hannah just waits and feels for me and she just looks ahead
and focuses on our race.

"The medals are there for the taking."

Ken Wallace is Australia's strongest hope on the final day of canoeing finals in the
K1 500, challenging world champion Adam van Koeverden and K1 1000m world champion Tim
Brabants.

Wallace has posted two of the quickest times in the world this year and Canadian favourite
and training partner van Koeverden rates him a genuine threat for the title.

AAP jsm/mo

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