Olympics: Brabants Paddles Towards More Medal Joy

Where once one looked at a British entrant and thought accident waiting to happen, excuse on the verge of being made, now one thinks "born winner". The Brits are coming and the Brits are winning.

Tim Brabants, the first British paddler to win at the world championships in 20 years, was in the kayak single (K1) 1000m against the highly regarded Markus Oscarsson, Shaun Rubenstein, Zoltan Benko and, the less fancied, Phone Mying Tayzar.

Curious first name "Phone", perhaps he was named after the means of communication by which his father discovered he was about to become one. Maybe he has a younger brother called Text and an elder sister called Fax, short for Facsimile.

Brabants could not have been more impressive as he swivel actioned his way into an early lead, found his rhythm and then, like Tiger Woods controlling a golf tournament, kept it nice and easy with half an eye on the flailing competition, to win easing up. The victory ensures he goes straight into Friday's final and frees him up to challenge in the 500 meters as well, in which he makes his Olympic debut.

"It was comfortable rather than easy," said the man who completed his medicine degree at Nottingham University and now works as house doctor. Phlegmatic, with a good mixed zone manner about him, he has a touch of the Redgraves about him.

"I knew I was strong enough to win," he said. Asked about all this British success he added, "I have been itching to get going. I have been watching all these people win medals and it is really inspiring to look at the medal table. We've won 11 golds, maybe 12 since I last looked, and this week might be even more successful."

His main rivals on Friday are likely to be the Canadian Adam van Koeverden, whose only defeat this season was at Brabants' hands, and the Norwegian Elrik Larsen, who is something of a midget compared with the big two. They will not include Phone who, sad to say, had a bad day on the water, finishing only just in front of the umpire's cruiser.

The 1,000m represents his best chance of a gold while he also has a chance in the 500m. In Sydney he won a bronze; in Athens he set a world record in the semi-final before, disappointingly, finishing fifth in the final.

His relaxed victory presages a busy week. He will compete in the 500m heat tomorrow, have Wednesday off, a semi-final of the 500m on Thursday, the 1,000m final on Friday and, with luck, the 500m final on Saturday. It is a busy week but should harvest two medals.