BEIJING 2008

Clint Robinson qualifies for Beijing

AAP - March 27, 2008, 3:13 pm

Clint Robinson has been selected for a fifth Olympic Games, despite missing the second round of the kayak selection trials with a throat infection.

The selectors decided there were extenuating circumstances and duly chose to nominate Robinson as part of the Australian team after the final morning of trials at the Sydney International Regatta Centre in Penrith.

Kenny Wallace won the K1 500m race on Thursday morning, giving him a clean sweep of all individual events in the selection process and once again confirming his title as Australia's No.1 male paddler.

Wallace won the race (1:41.92) into a stiff head wind ahead of fellow Queenslanders Jacob Clear and Tate Smith.

He finished a boat length ahead of Clear, with Smith a close third.

Both Clear and Tate gained a nomination as a result of their exceptional performances throughout the trials process, along with NSW's David Smith.

Tony Schumacher can gain the final nomination if he wins the re-run of the Oceania Men's K1 500m event on Friday.

Schumacher defeated New Zealand paddler Troy Burbidge two weeks ago, but following an appeal by New Zealand on the state of the course, organisers were required to re-schedule the race.

In the final women's K1 500m race of the trials, 19-year-old Jo Brigden-Jones produced a fantastic paddle to win ahead of veteran Shelley Oates Wilding and Hannah Davis.

Chantal Meek, Hannah Davis, Lyndsie Fogarty and Lisa Oldenhof have all gained nominations to the AOC, while Brigden-Jones will have to rely on the outcome of the re-race of the Oceania Olympic qualifier in the women's K1 500m between Australian Alana Nicholls and New Zealand's Erin Taylor on Friday.

Nominations to the AOC:

Men's Kayak: Ken Wallace (QLD), David Smith (NSW), Tate Smith (QLD), Jacob Clear (QLD), Clint Robinson (QLD), Tony Schumacher (NSW) (subject to qualification of an additional athlete quota place at the Oceania Qualification event on March 28)

Men's Canoe: Torsten Lachmann (NSW)

Women: Chantal Meek (NSW), Lyndsie Fogarty (QLD), Hannah Davis (SA), Lisa Oldenhof (WA), Jo Brigden-Jones (NSW) (subject to qualification of an additional athlete quota place at the Oceania Qualification event on March 28).</p>