On the crest of a wave

Covid may have delayed Forbes-Cryans’ trek to Tokyo but, having navigated choppy waters during a rise that began in after-school clubs, nothing can dampen the spirits of this Olympic debutant...

For Bradley ForbesCryans, the wait to make his olympic debut is finally over. After his official selection at the end of 2019, no one could have foreseen the events that followed, delaying the Edinburgh-born canoe slalom star from taking to the waters of Tokyo.

But the realisation of his long-held dream has given him cause to look back at his journey from after-school lessons to making the leap to full-time training in London — and all the people who helped him along the way.

‘Having to navigate through the pandemic, as everyone else has had to do, and stay in almost perfect shape for the olympic Games has been no easy task,’ he reflected. ‘But now it’s almost here, I’m just really excited to get on that plane and head out to Tokyo.’

Controlling a canoe is second nature to Forbes-Cryans, something he discovered as a young boy growing up in Scotland’s capital.

‘I went to school in Edinburgh and had to attend an after-school club during the week because my mum worked late hours,’ he said. ‘They ran a canoeing course in the summer that lasted for five weeks, and you got to go once a week.

‘I remember that first time sitting in a boat down at the Musselburgh lagoon. Straight away I could paddle the boat in a straight line and the instructor was massively enthusiastic, so after the five weeks he pointed me in the way of my local canoe club, Forth Canoe Club in Edinburgh, to continue my paddling, which I really enjoyed.’

The 2018 World Champion wasn’t to know at the time, but this was the beginning of a decorated career leading him to earning this coveted spot on Team GB.

Forbes-Cryans continued: ‘I spent one or two years at Forth Canoe Club until I really got into slalom canoeing

and that was when I moved on to a much more slalom-specific club in the Central Belt called CR Cats Canoe Club, which was an absolute mission to try and get to from Edinburgh three or four times a week after school.

‘I kept going with CR Cats because I was really into canoe slalom at that point and they had some of the best athletes in the country come from their club, the likes of Campbell Walsh, Fiona Pennie and David Florence.

‘Watching those guys, as a youngster, going to the Olympics and being massively successful, all of them, was a huge driving factor for me wanting to emulate their results and hopefully go one better in Tokyo.’

The 26-year-old has experienced a lot of success, coupled with moments of heartbreak, throughout his career and feels the highs and lows have paved the way to reaching this new level and calling himself an Olympian.

‘I was always kind of the top junior doing the sport throughout my years climbing through the ranks,’ he explained. ‘I made the British

Under-18 team as a 17-year-old but it was when I missed the Under-23 team the first year I tried for it, that was probably my first real disappointment.

‘It was kind of make or break, like what do you want to do, keep going and sacrifice everything that goes along with being a youngster, socialising with your mates and all the rest of it?

‘For me it wasn’t really a question at that stage, I was still living in Edinburgh at the time and I was told by the program they were willing to keep me on if I moved to London. So I made that commitment to myself, my sponsors and the program to move.

‘Obviously, they invest so much funding into your career that you really want to do all of that justice.’

Making that decision at a young age speaks volumes

I vowed I didn’t want to feel the pain of missing out ever again

to the character the Scot (left) possesses, and his will to succeed. ‘The next year I almost kind of skipped the Under-23 team and made it straight into the senior team,’ he continued. ‘I couldn’t believe I spent maybe eight months in London and my level had just improved dramatically to the point I made the senior team for the first time, and almost made the Olympic team in 2016. I was really in contention for that. ‘That was another driving factor to me making the Olympic Games this time around, remembering how gutted I was when I missed out in 2016 and saying to myself I never want to feel like this again, I never want this much disappointment. From there I just kept moving forward.’

Now, looking back, the Olympic debutant highlights the fulfilment he feels at taking that leap and moving down south to continue his path.

‘I’m massively proud of making that decision at a young age and I’m excited with the opportunity I have,’ he added. ‘The amount of joy that has brought my friends and family, my sponsors — me making the Olympic Games — is fantastic and I really just want to do all of them proud.

‘It all comes down to the results at the end of the day. I know the guys within my inner circles are going to be with me regardless of the outcome, but for me, I’ve put in all of this work and I want to make the most of the opportunity and deliver my best.’