‘No stone unturned’ as Clarke claims the glory
Canoe champion helped by Redgrave’s message I dreamt about gold, says Briton
He has an autographed photograph of Sir Steve Redgrave signed ‘no stone unturned’, and Joe Clarke followed his idol’s instructions to the letter last night by delivering a surprise second gold medal for Great Britain at the Olympics.
Like Redgrave five times before him, Clarke came good when it mattered most, as others wilted around him in driving rain in the men’s K1 canoe slalom, becoming his country’s first Olympic champion in the event.
The 23-year-old rookie, only a year older than Redgrave was when he won his maiden rowing title, also exorcised the memory of teammate – and room-mate – David Florence’s flop in the C1 24 hours earlier.
The highs Clarke felt in doing so are rarely experienced at an Olympic Games as he went from securing a guaranteed medal to claiming gold in minutes after going out third-last in the final and setting the fastest time of 88.53 seconds.
Remaining pair Jiri Prskavec, the world champion, and Jakub Grigar were both ahead at the first split but, having also gone quicker than him in the earlier semi-final, both crumbled under the pressure and incurred time penalties.
Clarke, cheered on by around 20 family members and friends, said: “When I crossed the line and knew I had a bronze, I was absolutely ecstatic. It got even better when that upgraded to a silver and then upgraded to a gold.
“Joe Clarke, Olympic Champion. Joe Clarke, Olympic Champion! It was what I went to bed dreaming about last night and what I’ve dreamt of for so many years.
“To wake up this morning thinking this is actually the finals of the Olympics and I could come away being the Olympic champion is just, like, wow.
“For sure, I’ve had some luck and you need a bit of luck in this sport to excel and that has come today.
“I don’t know what I did to deserve that, but I obviously did something right along the way.”
What Clarke did right was cope with conditions more akin to his native north of England than several miles north of Rio.
“They were exactly like Great Britain and that suited me down to the ground,” he said. “When I woke up this morning, I said, ‘I’m glad the British weather has come’.”
He was rewarded for his dedication to a sport he first tried in the Scouts at the age of nine or 10 but was told he was too young to take up. When an opportunity arose to join Stafford and Stone Canoe Club a year or two later, he was forced to write a letter justifying why he should be chosen to go kayaking ahead of dozens of his schoolmates.
And as if he needed any more inspiration, he then watched Campbell Walsh claim K1 silver at the Athens Olympics 12 years ago before meeting the Scot at the National Water Sports Centre.
He said of his journey to gold: “I really can’t put it into words, how I’m feeling. And thinking about that is just insane. Twelve years to Olympic gold. Wow. It’s a dream come true.” Clarke looked in a daze as he took to the winners’ podium to receive his precious medal.
“You can never take anything for granted in this sport, and then I’m just standing on the podium and that national anthem’s playing,” he said. I’m so proud to be from Great Britain and represent Great Britain and Team GB.
“To hear that – wow. I nearly had to pinch myself to wake myself up. I thought this was a dream and to think it’s real – wow – out of this world.”
As well as parents Shaun and Mandy and other family and friends, diehard Stoke City fan Clarke had celebrity support on Twitter from England goalkeeper Jack Butland.
“I try to get up as much as I can to watch Stoke,” he said. “Phenomenal club, love them. It’s my roots.
“I’ve got so many friends and family out here – about 20. You could hear them when I was on the podium, screaming my name. Mum was probably crying her eyes out. She’s probably still crying now.
“My parents have sacrificed so much for me to be here.”
Clarke was also eager to pay tribute to his team-mates, as well as mentor Etienne Stott, the winner of Britain’s first canoe slalom gold alongside Tim Baillie at London 2012.
“I’m a newbie to the team,” Clarke said. “This is my first Olympics. They’ve all got Olympic experiences before. They’ve all helped me along the way and I’ve had a lot of guidance from Etienne, who won gold in London.
“He’s been taking me under his wing and telling me what this Olympic experience is all about. He went out there and grasped it with two hands and won the gold, and I’ve just kind of followed in his footsteps.” And those of Redgrave, who was among the first to offer his congratulations to the boy he sent a signed photo all those years ago.
“I’ve actually just done an interview with Radio Five Live and they got Steve on the line and it was amazing to hear from him,” Clarke said. “Hopefully, going to meet him in person. And – yeah – I left no stone unturned out there today.”