Back from Beijing — on new medal trail

A Newark man has returned from Beijing after helping the Great Britain team to its most successful Olympics in a century.

John Anderson, of Beacon Heights, the British Olympic Canoeing team leader, oversaw his sport’s best ever performance with a gold, silver and bronze medal in the canoeing and kayaking competitions.

John cycled alongside the regatta course at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park as Tim Brabants stormed to victory in the K1 1000-metre race — claiming Britain’s first canoeing Olympic gold.

Brabants, of West Bridgford, also won a bronze in the K1 500 metres, which added to Nottingham-based David Florence’s silver in the slalom canoeing.

Taking part in his third Olympics, John flew to China on July 24 with the canoeing and kayaking team for a ten-day training camp before the start of the games.

The team stayed in the same hotel as the British rowing team, which won six medals including two golds.

John said both teams supported each other at their events. They also had a royal visitor when Princess Anne had lunch with the team.

John took part in the opening ceremony at the Bird’s Nest Stadium with the British team.

“It was a tremendous experience,” he said.

John said the standard set at the impressive opening ceremony carried on at every event in the games.

He said: “The Chinese put on a fantastic Olympic games. There was just an unbelievable amount of money and resources put into it.”

John returned home on Monday on the British Airways Boeing 747 featuring a special gold nose with the rest of the British Olympic team and attended a reception with the Prime Minister.

“It was a fantastic atmosphere with all the sports together,” he said.

With the review of the Beijing Olympics having already begun, John is now looking forward to London 2012 and hoping for more medal success.