Ex-AFL rookie clinches canoe crown

JACKSON Collins’ sporting switch is paying dividends he hopes will lead him to follow in family footsteps after snaring a gold medal at the canoe sprint world championships in Canada.

A former Aussie rules player who was rookie-listed by the Sydney Swans, Collins’ dreams of an AFL career were ruined by constant knee injuries but his switch to concentrate on the kayak is paying off, with his dream of competing at the Olympics a step closer.

Collins and Aly Bull – Australia’s top performer in Canada – won gold in the mixed K2 500 on Lake Banook in Nova Scotia, the pair snaring the title in the newest event on the worlds program.

Collins, whose father, Daniel, was an Olympic K2 medallist in 1996 and 2000, couldn’t wipe the smile off his face after winning gold and said he didn’t “want to ever take it off”.

“It’s awesome, every time I think about it, I keep smiling,” he said of the win.

“It’s such an amazing feeling to be able to go out there and race with Bully and now to be world champions together.”

If Collins heads to Paris, he is likely to join Bull on the national team, with the two-time Olympian in career-best form in Canada, where she finished her campaign with three medals – two gold and a silver after winning the K1 1000m on the final day.

“I really wanted to have a good start (in K1 1000). I knew (the day) was going to be long and I had to keep it strong but I also just wanted to save some energy for our Mixed K2 which was a really tight turnaround.

“The team here is awesome … and I can’t thank the coaches and everyone (enough) for moving mountains for us to make our job look easy,” said Bull, who also won silver with the women’s K4 at the weekend.

Olympic champions Tom Green and Jean van der Westhuyzen once again paired up to finish with the bronze medal in the Men’s K2 500.

The three medals on the final day of racing took Australia’s medal tally from the world championships to seven, with three gold, two silver and two bronze medals.