PARIS, FRANCE; Two local Olympians will begin their Paris 2024 quest tomorrow morning, Aug. 6.
Michelle Russell of Fall River, who kayaks out of Abenaki Aquatic Club; and Windsor Junction’s Sloan MacKenzie from Cheema will team with partner Katie Vincent on the waters in Paris in canoeing.
The duo of MacKenzie and Vincent will be looking to finish the top two in their heat race.
A top two placing will automatically qualify them for semifinal berth at the Olympics.
ADVERTISEMENT:
Vincent and MacKenzie will begin their Olympics in heat two of the C-2, 500-metre race.
They will race from Lane 6.
The start gun is scheduled to go off at 6:10 a.m. for them.
There are only two heats in the distance of races, with 14 competitors in total.
The top two in each heat advance directly to the semifinals, which is scheduled for Friday morning at 5:30 a.m.
ADVERTISEMENT:
A quarterfinal takes place later Tuesday morning at 8:20 am Atlantic for those who do not make the top two.
The final for the C-2, 500-metre will start on Friday at 7:40 a.m. Atlantic.
Anna Hetzler of Waverley, and also with Cheema, is an assistant coach with CanoeKayak Team Canada squad at the Olympics.
Lockview High vice principal Erin Schaus is one of three officials in the sprint canoe/kayak category.
ADVERTISEMENT:
Russell will compete in the K-1, 500-metres race on Aug. 7.
She will be in the fifth heat, which is scheduled to go off at 5:10 a.m. Atlantic.
The heat races for this distance begin at 4:30 a.m.
Riley Melanson, another Canadian, from the Halifax area will hit the water at 5:20 a.m. in the sixth and final heat.
Coverage of the competition from the Olympics can be seen on the CBC Gem App, Sportsnet or TSN.
