Ogilvie dreaming of Tokyo
● Denny paddler’s aim was Paris 2024 but could yet grab a place in Japan
“It has felt pretty damn incredible ,” says Sophie Ogilvie of two months which have surpassed every expectation.
Just 19– albeit with over a decade’s worth of experience since she was recruited by a local coach who came on a talent drive to her primary school – the canoeist anticipated this would be a year of consolidation and refinement as she negotiated her way around the obstacle course that leads to the Paris Olympics in 2024.
Instead, with the European Championships beginning in Pau, France, to day, Denny’s dynamic paddler is prepar - ing to share the same white water as many of the sport’ s leviathans with the door very much open to earn a premature Olympic debut in Tokyo next summer.
“It’s a surprise and it isn’t,” she affirms of her acceleration into the senior ranks of the individual C1 event. “I went into selections with no pressure. I was just out to have fun and do the best runs I could.”
And what a joyous diversion this has been, par ticu - larly since relocating to British Canoeing’s HQ in London two years ago and de voting herself ever more rigorously to the cause.
Upheaval professionally but more so personally, parted for the first time from her t win sister Rebecca as a pathway which brought both together through the ranks finally diverged, one to elite sport, the other to sculpt future talent as a PE teacher.
“It was weird ,” said Sophie of that fork in the adult road. “We’ re very similar but very different. At school she was into dance and gymnastics and I was into football and basketball. But apart from that, we always did everything together with very similar friends. We were very equal, doing the same things.
“So when we got into canoeing, one of the biggest things was being so competitive because we pushed each other on. The year we were both on the British junior teams was huge. And I don’t think I’d be on this level now if she’d not been there.”
Their two-way support system remains, albeit long- distance. Others, notably the Caled on ian canoe contingent which includes past Olympians and fellow Pau contenders David Florence, Fiona Pennie and Brad Cryans-forbes, have lent their respective hands.
“They’ve been such a help,” acknowledged Ogilvie.“E specially since they almost all come from the same little club back in Scotland. You can see the picture of where they were then to where they are now.”
Horizons altered, bar raised, Ogil vie has four months to earn enough credits to be placed on a fast track to Japan next year.
Canoeing will be one of the first British teams chosen. Just one spot is up for grabs in each discipline. Hence, ever y race after the Europeans counts for much, and then more. Yet after speeding upward, there is no reason to slow down.
“Now I’m on the senior squad, you think about Olympic selection ,” Ogil vie added. “That’s the thing to achieve. Before now, I wasn’ t really going for that spot in the boat. But now you don’t know what can happen and I want to push as close as possible.”