NEWLAND MAKES HISTORY

GEELONG teenager Jack Newland has made Australian sporting history, becoming its first-ever junior world championship medallist by taking bronze in the men’s kayak surface final.

Competing at the 2019 ICF canoe freestyle world championships in Spain, Newland left town with hopes of a top 10 finish, but ended up leaving with a medal and a slice of history.

Newland (above) scored 660 points on his first ride in the final to take bronze.

And the rising star claimed his medal with what many would class as a less than ideal preparation, throwing tricks in a swimming pool rather than training on some of the best whitewater in the world like some of his opponents.

“It’s unbelievable, I’m so stoked. This is crazy,” Newland said from Sort, Spain.

“It’s been stressful, with a lot of butterflies, but I’ve been excited for most of the day. I didn’t know I could get on the podium.

“It takes a long time in a swimming pool. It’s good, it’s fantastic training, but you’ve got to put in the hard work.”

He said training in a pool four times a week may have given him an advantage over other athletes.

“Swimming pool training gives you a lot of boat control and strength, but it doesn’t give you the feel for features and waves such as this one,” he said.

“You really are going in unknown. It took me four days when I got here to get use to the feature, because it’s completely different to what I’ve paddled before, and obviously completely different to a swimming pool.”

Newland will make the jump to seniors for the first time in two years.

“I’ll need a lot more swimming pool practice, and hopefully a lot more whitewater practice,” he said. “I finish school pretty soon, so I’m pretty excited for the future, that’s for sure.”