Best-ever run keeps Liam Jegou’s Rio 2016 dream alive

Liam Jegou produced the performance of his life to qualify for semi-finals at the canoe slalom European Championships in Slovakia and give himself the chance of Olympic qualification.

The 20-year-old C1 (canoe) paddler placed just 29th in his first run on the Liptovsky Mikulas course, but improved dramatically the second time around. He had no touches on gates and his time of 98.33 seconds was the fifth fastest of both rounds. "He had a stormer. It was the best run he put in - ever," said Ireland team manager Abe Jacob.

To qualify for the Olympics, Jegou must be the fastest of six countries which have made these semi-finals but not already qualified for Rio. The biggest threats are Spain and Italy, who both have three paddlers in the semi-finals.

Ireland had two other contenders for Olympic places, both in K1s (racing kayaks). Ciarán Heurteau, who has been struggling with a neck problem, had a poor first run and though he improved in his second run he finished 16th, with 10 going through. Hannah Craig finished 10th in London, but she also missed out. She placed 28th in her first run and 17th in her second, incurring two 50-second penalties for missing gates.