Olympic champs Tom Green, Jean van der Westhuyzen‘s Paris bid in event they have never won

With a gold medal in the bag from their first Olympics in Tokyo these paddler should be favourite for Paris 2024. But their sport has thrown them a curve ball.

Jean van der Westhuyzen, right, and Tom Green after winning the K2 1000m on day 13 of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021.

Great mates Tom Green and Jean van der Westhuyzen were the surprise stars of the Tokyo Olympics with their historic gold in the canoe sprint racing.

But heading into the Paris Olympics in 2024 the pair are still chasing an international win in the new event they have been forced to race.

The K2 1000m event which delivered them gold in Tokyo has been dumped for the Paris Olympic program with a more explosive K2 500m event in its place.

And it is in this Green and van der Westhuyzen will target at this week’s Australian canoe sprint championships in Perth and a series of international regattas in Europe where Australia is seeking to qualify Olympic positions across the board.

And while he won’t get the chance to defend his Olympic crown, Green is still excited about the challenge the new event poses.

Tom Green in the K1 1000m semi at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Picture: Adam Pretty/Getty Images

“The challenge of the new event is great. It’s keeping us in our toes,” said the lifeguard who has had to give up racing next week’s Australia surf life saving titles at Scarborough to focus on his Olympic tilt and training.

“It’s fast and very exciting.

“To be honest I think it might suit us a little better. Jean and I are a bit more explosive.”

The pair won a bronze at last years world titles in the K2 500m but are still hunting a major international victory, hopefully in Europe this year at an assortment of world World Cups and world championships.

In another twist the good mates and gold medallists will be racing against each other in the K1 at the Australian titles in Perth this week.

“Both of us are racers. We race each other in training and when it comes to showtime, we want the best for each other but there’s like a sibling rivalry,’’ Green said.

Green beat Van der Westhuyzen by .37 seconds at a recent GP at Penrith in Sydney for the K1 500m crown.

This followed on from his victories, in the K1 1000 and K2 500 with his Olympic partner and a K4 500 win.

Green says the K1 1000 is unfinished business for him after finishing off the podium in the race at the Tokyo Olympics.

“I was pretty cut about that. I believe I could have put a better performance out,” he said.

“It did hit home pretty hard. Lucky I had such great support around me they really helped.

“We put the salt on the wound straight away and then got rid of it.

“Leading into the K2 I did things differently. What I learned in the K1 helped me win the K2.’’

“It is still a very big goal for me. I reckon I’m better now, better from that event. I learned so much. Things you can’t be taught or learn from movies, a book, just being at the Olympics.’’

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