Tokyo 2020: Avoca kayaker Lachlan Tame’s Olympic sacrifice
Kayaker Lachlan Tame only has to look at his credit card statement to know the price of wanting to pull on an Australian uniform and race for glory again at the Tokyo Olympics.
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Kayaker Lachie Tame only has to look at his credit card statement to know the price of wanting to pull on an Australian uniform and race for glory in the Olympic arena.
Lachie Tame knows better than most sacrifices are required for success and now he’s making a new - and costly one - he hopes will lead him to the Tokyo Olympics.
Tame has now given up his job as a builder and around $50,000 income to dedicate himself to the cause of qualifying for the 2020 Olympics.
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A Rio Olympic bronze medallist in the K2 1000m with kayak legend Ken Wallace, the Central Coast product is on the comeback from two years out of the sport post the Rio Games to rest his body, establish a career off the water as a builder and then recover from surgery.
“I started my own business doing renovations,” said Tame, 31, who is a carpenter by trade and was not eligible for top funding after his break from the sport due to a lack of results.
“In 2018 in May I had a shoulder reconstruction and it was then I decided I only have two years left and I decided I wanted to have another crack.
“I made the national team last year and now I’ve gone all in.
“I’ve stopped work completely to do this. It is kind of scary but I potentially only have six months left of high performance sport.”
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Tame, a multiple Australian surf ski champion, is racing with Manly’s Murray Stewart, also on the comeback after issues with his back required surgery.
The pair will be racing the K2 together at the nationals in March which double as a another selection event for the Australian team.
“I’m enjoying this, the racing and excited to see if I can make the team again,” said Tame who is also a top surf lifesaver and member of the Avoca kayak club.
The final part of they Olympic selection process for paddlers is the March 11-15 Canoe Sprint national championships at the Sydney International Regatta Centre.
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