It’s hard to put into words how special it is to represent Team GB.

We’re like a massive family and our motto is “Once an Olympian, always an Olympian”. We really do live by that.

As the defending sprint-canoe Olympic champ, I’m in a good place right now: I feel healthy and I’m injury- free. And I’ve been selected as an athlete for Tokyo 2020!

After I won a gold medal at Rio 2016, I still had a few things on the list I wanted to tick off. In 2017 I won the World Championship, and I became a father that year too. Then in 2018 I started thinking about what I wanted to do next, and how I could do it while supporting a family.

It was a really valuable time of reflection for me. I came to realise what my own family had given
up to help me achieve my dreams, and how much other people have had a hand in my success. And that includes The National Lottery’s players. It’s their contribution that allows me to continue focusing on canoeing.

The Tokyo Games are going to be great. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to design the artwork on my boat and paddles. I studied industrial design and technology at Loughborough University, so I’m really keen on that side of things.

I think every boat I’ve ever owned, I actually did the artwork for it. In fact, there are many people who own boats that I’ve taken time and effort into producing. In 2012, Team GB allowed us to paint our paddles in the Stella McCartney design.

In 2016, we had a fancy K2 – but we didn’t end up using it because it was a bit overweight. So we actually used our back-up boat.

I still get the opportunity to work with Team GB and some of our kit suppliers to do some of the artworks on the spraydecks.

Having that ability to express that alongside my sporting career has been really great, especially when I’m sitting in some of the boats or using kit that I have produced.

Can I beat what I did in 2016?

I’m certainly going to try! I set the world’s fastest time in 2017, so I’d like to think I can. That’s why I always say my biggest rival is myself.

It’s thanks to you

As a junior athlete, I was clearly talented. But when I was at university, I struggled to both study and train, and my priorities shifted towards my studies. I put my sporting ambitions on hold and dropped out of the British team. It was only then that I realised how much help I’d been given. I hadn’t appreciated that.

I had to really fight my way back in. That’s when it really hit home how much support National Lottery funding gives me. I’m so grateful today.

To find out more about how playing makes a difference, visit national-lottery.co.uk/news

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